Utopia Tecoloxtitlan / OIHFRA

Utopía Tecoloxtitlan is one of the most acclaimed and interesting of the 12 Utopias of Iztapalapa. Set in the historical town of San Sebastián Tecoloxtitlan, the center here took shape on an open lot. This one was abandoned since the 1985 earthquakes destroyed a small school here. The earthquakes likely only aggravated the area’s soil subsidence problems. These result from the over-drawing of water from the water table deep beneath the City.

Utopia Tecoloxtitlan began as an integral project to combine socio-cultural, sports and scientific research facilities all on one site. The scientific research is then presented in an onsite museum dedicated to better understanding the problem of subsidence.

OIHFRA

OIHFRA is the Observatorio Interactivo de Hundimiento y Fracturamiento de la Alcaldía de Iztapalapa. That’s the Iztapalapa Interactive Observatory of Sinking and Fracturing. The Observatory relates the history of the volcanoes and lakes and the origin of the water beneath it all. Visitors learn what makes San Sebastián Tecoloxtiltan into one area of the City most affected by subsoil fracturing.

The Observatory is particularly important for the study of subsidence and for fostering a sustainable water management plan here and across Mexico City. The Geo-Sciences Center of the National University (UNAM) cooperated in the development and planning of the Observatory.

But like all of the Utopias sports and cultural complexes, this one is intended to be a major positive for its community, too. To that end, you’ll also find:

• An attractive Urban Family Park
• Reflection pools
• A Central Kiosk
• Children’s play areas
• Jogging Track
• A traditional Temazcal steambath
• Outdoor fitness area
• Multiple use classrooms and a senior center.
• Music, Dance, Theater classes
• Sustainable Orchard

The San Sebastián Tecoloxtiltan Utopia is visited, perhaps more than anything, for its superior design. Attractive and unified, it came to be at the hands of architects Gabriela Carrillo and Loreta Castro, with assistance from architects Erick Valdez, Daniel Huerta, and Fernando Rodríguez. All are from the Architecture Department at the UNAM. They worked closely with the Geo-Sciences Center to present the entire project to the community.

Hours: All the Utopia Sports and Cultural Centers are open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.