The Dishwasher

The Dishwater

Everyone has seen or passed by a building so strange that it ought their attention. All over the world, some weird buildings try to emulate other objects, and the results can be quite fascinating. Robert Venturi’s famous idea1972  of the “duck vs. the decorated shed” raised awareness about these quirky structures. Mexico City is home of one of these, and for most of my childhood this building was imprinted in my mind. 

Venturi's "duck" building

The Dishwasher from the street

The building I am talking about is called Calakmul, but locals refer to it as the Dishwasher. Located on the fancy neighborhood of Santa Fe, in the western side of town, this building stands as a masterpiece of abstraction and technology. Yet not many people know much about it, except its nickname. I myself had no idea what the building was even called, and until I started researching it, I had no idea what the thought behind it was, nor that it is an award-winning building. 

Dishwasher's scale

When I was a child, maybe 8 or 9 years old, I remember my mother driving past this building and being completely marveled by its presence. I immediately asked her about it, and all she could tell me was that it was called the Dishwasher. I thought highly of myself because I thought about its nickname even before my mother mentioned it. I thought this building was so weird and futuristic, and its geometrical simplicity in contrast to the rest of the neighboring buildings, stood out to me. 

The building eventually faded from my memory, until this January when I passed by it again. All the sudden I was drawn back in, and I wanted to find out what this building represented. 

Santa Fe's skyline

Built in 1994 by Agustin Gonzalez Navarro, the Calakmul complex’s geometries are meant to represent the ancient Mayan notions of the earth (the square) and the sky (the circle). The abstraction of these forms and their reference to the past are critical ideas explored by Mexican architects throughout history. The dishwasher showcases how, even when architecture began using newer technologies and materials, the notion of identity and the rich cultural past of Mexico was still referenced. 

The building is also, quite shockingly, one of the first green buildings in Mexico City, setting an example for the Santa Fe area’s future structures. It is also an awards-winning building, praised for its glass application, its structural concrete shell, its incorporation to the street, and its advanced technology used for its interiors. 

Futuristic Interiors

As I learned more about this building, I began to see the hidden messages behind it, and the many references it has to previous works and historical periods. I no longer just see it as the Dishwasher, I see it as a great architectural work.

At night

 Go find your own dishwasher, and who know, maybe you’ll find something great too.