Void Dynamics

The general objective of the project is to demonstrate that the void can be designed as a strategic disturbance, which detonates the dynamics of urban succession and the proliferation of new activities within a stagnant city context. This approach stems from understanding the city as a system of complexity and diversity, which is comparable in its behaviour (mainly of spatial configuration) to natural systems. The premise is supported by previous research that leads to the multifaceted study of the urban void, its possibilities, and its potential to create new intensities and alternative occupation dynamics, according to the theory, “void dynamics”.
The proposed methodology combines the theoretical foundations of landscape ecology and its study of void dynamics, to then map and analyze the contextual situation of the urban mosaic of the city centre of Monterrey, Mexico.
The formulation of the project focuses on the succession of economic, social and physical dynamics, which are byproducts of urban disturbances. A cellular automata simulation is used to test various scenarios in which voids are placed as disturbances, which affect the configuration and quality of the space over time. From the data of these tests, the morphological recognition of the void and its impact arises, which allows their classification as intervention typologies. Further efforts were made to develop detailed urban projects where promising voids occurred within the simulation.