SANTA MARIA CHURCH MASTER PLAN, MEXICO

Located in the village of Santa Maria, Oaxaca, this lovely old church was being used sparingly for Sunday mass, occasional events, and by a caretaker who had converted a series of shacks into living quarters and animal pens (as you can see in the last two photos) . A full master plan was proposed. This included walls to delineate church grounds (which doubled as seating for those waiting street-side for busses), large and small gathering spaces for events, shaded courtyard seating with a fountain (for quiet contemplation), and planted meditation paths. Plants are a mixture of local succulents and colorful shrubs - all of which had to be capable of surviving on occasional hand-watering. To capitalize on and emphasize the cornucopia of natural soils, rocks, and minerals that exist in Oaxaca, paths are made from local green, yellow, and orange soils stabilized with cement, and the re-purposed Zapotec carvings are featured prominently with spotlights and opportune seating.