In the heart of Mexico City’s upscale Polanco district, LANZA Atelier has unveiled a breathtaking new project — the A10 Pavilion, a shimmering circular structure draped in thousands of water-dripping metal chains.

Built above a historic plaza fountain, this installation blurs the boundaries between art, architecture, and nature, transforming an urban space into a living, breathing sculpture.

Project Overview: The A10 Pavilion by LANZA Atelier

The A10 Pavilion was commissioned to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of El Palacio de Hierro Polanco, one of Mexico City’s most iconic luxury shopping centers. Rising 8 meters high, the pavilion stands directly atop a fountain, surrounded by a reflective pool and shimmering curtains of chain links.

More than 1,500 galvanized chains hang from its circular frame, each dripping with water to create a hypnotic soundscape and visual rhythm. The result is a constantly moving façade that reflects light, captures wind, and brings fluidity to a solid structure.

The circular pavilion was clad in chains that drip water

Design Concept: When Steel Meets Flowing Water

LANZA Atelier’s design is grounded in the relationship between architecture and water — a recurring theme in Mexico City’s built environment.

The pavilion’s exterior curtain of chains continuously drips water, forming a semi-transparent wall that allows visitors to glimpse inside while remaining partly veiled.

Inside, a reflecting pool anchors the design. Clad in dark materials, the pool’s surface mirrors the moving chains and surrounding trees, creating an ever-changing display of light and reflection.

The water drips from four strategic points, symbolizing the city’s historic fountains — a poetic nod to Mexico City’s hydrological past.

Material Palette: Industrial Elegance Meets Serenity

The A10 Pavilion uses a minimalist yet powerful material palette:

• Steel for structure and durability

• Wood for warmth and seating

• Water and light for motion and atmosphere

• Chains as the key visual and sensory component

This fusion of hard and soft elements produces a multisensory experience. Visitors hear the soft rhythm of water, see its dance across metal, and feel cool mist as they walk around or ascend into the structure.

Spatial Experience: A Climb Into Calm

Visitors are invited to explore the pavilion both horizontally and vertically. A wooden staircase leads to a raised platform 4.5 meters above ground, offering new perspectives of the plaza and surrounding treetops.

From this elevated view, the city seems quieter, and the gentle dripping of water replaces urban noise — creating a moment of pause and mindfulness in the midst of commercial activity.

It has two levels supported by a simple steel structure

Cultural and Urban Impact

Although the A10 Pavilion commemorates a retail anniversary, LANZA Atelier designed it to serve the public realm. The structure remains open and accessible to all, encouraging people to rest, observe, and reconnect with their surroundings.

By placing the pavilion atop an existing fountain, the architects didn’t replace the urban element — they reimagined it. The installation reintroduces water as an architectural protagonist, reminding visitors of its ecological and emotional role in city life.

Why It Matters: Architecture as Living Art

The A10 Pavilion challenges how we define architecture. It’s not a building to enter but a space to feel — a constantly changing environment shaped by natural forces.

LANZA Atelier’s approach echoes a growing global trend in architecture:

• designing structures that engage the senses, reflect the environment, and encourage public interaction.

This project shows that temporary architecture can have a permanent emotional and cultural impact — using minimal materials to achieve maximum presence.

Project Details at a Glance

Attribute Description

Architects: LANZA Atelier

Project Name: A10 Pavilion

Location: El Palacio de Hierro Polanco,

Mexico City

Completion: October 2025

Height: 8 meters

Key Materials: Galvanized chains, steel, wood,

water

Function: Public pavilion / temporary

installation

Conclusion: The Future of Emotional Architecture

With the A10 Pavilion, LANZA Atelier demonstrates how contemporary architecture can move beyond utility and into poetry.

By combining industrial precision with natural movement, the firm has created a pavilion that isn’t just seen — it’s heard, felt, and experienced.

In an age of noise and speed, this water-dripping chain pavilion offers what modern cities need most: stillness, reflection, and connection.