EDRA54 - Mobile Sessions

EDRA54 Mobile Sessions

Mobile Sessions provide attendees with a place-based experience and include an overview of important heritage places around Mexico City. Attendees will be able to add tickets for mobile sessions upon registering for the conference.  registrations open in January 2023.

EDRA54 | Mobile Session 1 Ancient settlements of Aztec empire: El Templo Mayor

June 23, 2023 - afternoon

Overview
This visit includes a tour of the pyramid ruins and the on-site museum at Seminario Street #8, in Mexico City´s historic center. The museum occupies the east side of the Metropolitan Cathedral and Plaza de la Constitución, popularly known as Zócalo. In the museum, you can see parts of the main pyramid of the city of Tenochtitlán, its construction levels, the eagle warriors’ areas, and the Tzompantli altar, a mural covered with human skulls that honored the Mexica gods. Inside the on-site museum, divided into eight rooms, you can admire pieces of great historical value, such as the sculpture of the earth goddess Tlaltecuhtli and the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui, among other beautiful pieces.

By attending this mobile session, EDRA 54 conference attendees will learn part of the history and material legacy of the Aztec culture, its traditions, lifestyle, and connection with the lake area, the site of the ancient Aztec city. 

The visit to the Templo Mayor Museum, is divided in two part: The first one, where the ruins of the ancient Mexica construction show us part of the greatness of their main city, and the second, corresponding to the museum where you will see artwork and sculptures of historical value. You will also be able to appreciate the sustainable ideas of our ancestors along with the reflection of the pre-hispanic way of life that you can still admire in the center of the beautiful colonial city of fine structures and design that represents Mexico City. The session will be offered in English and Spanish for visitors and the tour will last approximately 90 minutes + transportation (total trip= 3 hours).

Ticket price
$40 USD (includes entrance, fee transportation and boxed lunch).

EDRA54 | Mobile Session 2 Mexican muralism at the UNAM: Cultural heritage of Humanity

June 23, 2023 - afternoon

Overview
The UNAM campus is an open-air art collection featuring more than 50 buildings, built in 1952 and declared a Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.  The green spaces and use of local volcanic stones give the campus its cohesion and unique identity. The central library features the work of artist Juan O'Gorman, whose walls describe the history of the local culture. On the western side of the campus is the Olympic University Stadium, the home of the 1968 Olympics. Its design resembles a volcano and is decorated with murals in relief by the famed Mexican artist Diego Rivera.  

Come and enjoy a set of contemporary architecture framed by muralism that represents Mexican nationalism as a cultural expression of the 20th century, in a 90 minutes walk.

The 1.5 hours tour will give you the chance to enjoy an area of great ecological, historical, and cultural value, with panoramic views of the campus, like the Schools of Philosophy, Medicine, and Law.

Come enjoy a set of contemporary architecture framed by muralism that represents Mexican nationalism as a cultural expression of the 20th century. The session will be offered in English and Spanish for visitors and the tour will last approximately 1,5 hours.

Ticket price
$20 USD (includes water bottle, a bag of typical Mexican candy, and a fresh fruit).

EDRA54 | Mobile Session 3 green infrastructure as an instrument for planning and socio-environmental design in Mexico City.

June 23, 2023 - afternoon

Overview
This mobile session showcases the implementation of a green infrastructure network in Mexico City, the UNESCO world’s natural and cultural heritage site “Xochimilco’s Ecological Park” and the newly created Environmental Value Area of the “National Canal”.

Topics covered

• Hydrology To know and walk around one of the very few canals that used to connect the downtown of Mexico City with the lacustrine area of Xochimilco’s suburb, where participants will appreciate its historical value and socio-environmental importance for the ecological balance of the city nowadays.
• Ecology To know the environmental services provided by the wet areas, the gallery forest, and urban forest as damping zone, biological passage, and reservoir, with biodiversity benefits and beyond..
• Community and quality of life To recognize the diverse strategies and actions proposed by the local government to enhance the nearby population’s quality of life and contribute to a more sustainable city.
• landscape urbanism and adaptation To identify the environmental design proposals, directed toward the conservtion of environmental services that contribute to risk mitigation and the construction of a resilient, sustainable and biodiverse city.

The session will be offered in English and Spanish for visitors and the tour will last approximately 2 hours.

Ticket price
40 USD  (includes transport, a boxed lunch, and a cap for sun protection).