Atelier Noria
EN/ES
Pabellón del Río — folded concrete canopy above the riverbank

Cultural

Pabellón del Río

Guadalajara, México2022

Client
Guadalajara Municipal Government
Location
Guadalajara, México
Year
2022
Area
780 m²
Typology
Cultural
Status
Built
Team
Design leadSofía Ramírez
Project architectEmilio Torres
Structural engineerArup México

The Pabellón del Río occupies a contested edge between city and river in Guadalajara's historic western district. The brief called for a flexible cultural venue that could host everything from community markets to contemporary art installations.

A single folded concrete canopy — just 12 centimeters thick at the eaves — defines the structure. It shelters a fluid ground plane that dissolves the boundary between interior and the river promenade. The perforated steel screen on the south elevation acts as a thermal buffer while projecting shifting patterns of light across the floor throughout the day.

The pavilion has since become an anchoring piece of a broader riverside regeneration strategy, hosting over forty thousand visitors in its first year.