Reweaving the Urban Landscape: Restoring Water Sustainability in the Laguna, Mexico

Abstract

The Laguna, a semi-desertic region in northern Mexico, is an emblem of industrial prowess and economic development, yet one riddled by water inaccessibility. Torreon, the Laguna’s hub, now dwells in the dichotomy of agricultural abundance and deepening water scarcity. The Nazas River, which previously crossed the city and replenished its aquifers, has been dry since the introduction of the Francisco Zarco Dam in 1968. Presently, most of the available water in the region is destined towards agricultural production, leaving the increasing population with an alarming water shortage. This thesis explores the revival of the Nazas River as a method to achieve ecological recovery and support clean water accessibility in the Laguna. Working at three different scales, the design strategy investigates the integration of water infrastructure, urban landscape, and river-edge reactivation as a catalyst to the Laguna’s water sustainability and the restoration of the region’s collective memory of water.