Mitla, an archeological site from
around 100 years before the common era
and located in the upper end
of the Tlacolula valley, is a Spanish
derivative of the Nahuatl name
Mictlán which describes a place for the dead
or underworld. The site is
most widely known for the mosaic
stonework without mortar that
covers many of the walls. However what
excites me about Mitla is
that it is probably the highest level
existing/rebuilt example of the
good/old idea of a square within a square on
the planet today. The idea is
visible both in elevation, when looking
through aligning portals, and in plan with
rooms surrounding open patios.

The crime that was committed in
1520 when Oaxacan Archbishop Albuquerque
ordered the destruction of
Mitla in order to build the church of Saint
Pablo, a building not worth mentioning,
from the remaining material directly on the
site is unthinkable. However, it
reminds me of the destruction of the
Sonoran Desert by developers in order to build
with no reference to the land today.

I have visited Oaxaca, 44 km
away, ten times in my life. Each time
I wouldn’t think of missing a stroll
through the remains of the wonderful, earthy
buildings. They have inspired
me at a higher level than any other. I
find I reference them in my work
constantly from remodeling the existing
1930s building where I live, to
organizing the entire first year core
studio curriculum in the Arizona
State University graphic design program, to
furniture design, and beyond.

Shown above is a 1:6 scale model
of a number 27 within a 27. It is, in essence,
a square within a square,
bent 90° at the front/top corner. Due
to the Weed Furniture joinery and
four dowels, this scale model supported
my entire body weight of 90 kg.
I long to build a full-scale version.