Plazas Gemelas, Este y Oeste

Hidalgo del Parral, or simply Parral, is a colonial city in Mexico's state of Chihuahua. Once known as the world's silver capital due to its prolific mines, Parral was a major center for silver production. Nowadays, mining activities are just a memory of prosperous times, and the city sustains itself through various commercial services, local tourism, agriculture, and livestock. In recent years, renewed interest in mining and the high real estate prices in surrounding big cities have made Parral more attractive to young people looking for a fresh start. This has given Parral a significant opportunity to experience new developments. 

The need for new housing projects has increased, bringing with it the challenge of making them accessible to everyday needs and activities such as those provided by convenience stores, restaurants, and pharmacies, among others. Thus, the idea of using anchor commercial plazas that can house various stores to fulfill the area's demands has emerged. These plazas are strategically located at the corners of new developments, ensuring they are easily accessible and visible. 

This project consists of two identical commercial plazas that crown the northern front corners of a new residential area near the Cerro Blanco neighborhood. These corners will integrate with future developments, enhancing commercial accessibility.

Each plaza, or module as we refer to it, consists of two volumes stacked one above the other. The design maximizes space with the large spans of its steel structure. The volumes are connected by an exterior staircase, which increases rentable and versatile space. Placing the staircase on the side also allows the module to join with other modules, making the plaza larger and easily adaptable.

Thanks to the flexibility provided by the steel structure and the exterior staircase, both the ground floor and the upper floor have centralized appliances and back-of-house areas prepared to divide each volume into three, four, or five commercial units, resulting in a total of six, eight, or ten units. The lateral areas along the property boundaries contain hidden storage and installation spaces on both floors. Additionally, the ground floor includes expanded hidden space for garbage bins.