ARTZ Pedregal

ARTZ Pedregal is a rather upscale shopping center in the very southwest of the Jardines de Pedregal neighborhood. It’s today ostensibly centered around a private art museum, Arte Abierto, that opened in the middle of everything in 2019. That opening was after a disastrous partial collapse of the structure in July of 2018, only a few months after the shopping center itself officially opened. And that was after a similar failure during construction in 2016. Ultimately, it led to far stricter zoning and permitting enforcements city-wide.

That difficult opening was followed by more than two years of pandemic lockdown. And some have been surprised that the shopping center has recovered as well as it has. Today the extensive gardens attract local yoga and exercise enthusiasts. And the art museum has contributed to a southern migration of some parts of Mexico City’s art scene.

Artz Pedregal was designed by the Grupo Sordo Madaleno. In these pages, they’re probably most famous for the dramatic 2008 San Josemaría Escrivá Church. Although in truth, they’ve been involved with multiple developments, resorts, hotels, and estates all over the country. A more recent project was the giant Real de Gijón stadium in Asturias, Spain.

At Artz Pedregal, the architects set out space for the art museum, and some 70 surrounding boutiques. There’s something of a focus on decorating and design amongst all of them, too. A number of restaurants welcome guests as do entertainment centers, sporting facilities and gyms. The main crowd-pleaser though, likely remains the art museum. In bustling and very busy Pedregal, it can be a welcome center of calm, perhaps especially for those traveling.