Mexico City Case-Study Context

Question 1

SITE

Answer 1

Began as capital city for Aztecs.

Built on an island in Lake Texcoco as easily defended & provided drinking water and fish

Question 2

SITUATION

Answer 2

Located on Central Plateau-flat landscape surrounded by mountains & volcanoes
Sierra de Guadalupe to North & Sierra de Ajusco to South
Focal point for transport and trade routes during 14th-16th century
Railways and roads since built following these routes
Central t main routes which connect North & South America

Question 3

CONNECTIVITY

Answer 3

Major highways make it main route between N & S America– eg Federal Highway 57
International Airport links Mexico City with S.America, Europe &USA
Motorways connect to Industrial towns such as Toluca

Question 4

CULTURE

Answer 4

Mix of indigenous & Spanish traditions of foods, music, religion and architecture
21 million people = largest metropolitan area in the West
Home to National opera & theatre as well as TV and radio stations
V important financial centre in the Americas
V high inequality—income; housing; access to services

Question 5

CBD

Answer 5

financial hub
office blocks
stock exchange
government building

Question 6

Inner city

Answer 6

first slums - 19th cen (Vecindades)

colonial mansions converted for cheap tenements and rented to families

Question 7

Suburbs

Answer 7

middle class areas - ciudad satelite - middle class housing

Question 8

Urban-rural fringe

Answer 8

Shanty towns

Question 9

Background

Answer 9

Ciudad Nezhualcoyotl (Neza) 
Built on marginal (swampy) land. Once sprawling slum, now scruffy suburb.  Houses often informally built, overcrowded & lack running water, toilet and window panes 
Egs of Bottom up projects where locals improve their QoL