Echoes of an Aqueduct

Within the Mexico–Texas Pedagogical Axis framework, the UH College of Architecture and Design partnered with GOMA, an architecture office in Querétaro, Mexico, to develop a fifth-year Professional Design Studio course. The studio focused on rethinking and repurposing an obsolete aqueduct in Querétaro that currently divides the Hércules neighborhood as a physical barrier. The proposed design transforms the aqueduct into a pedestrian-friendly public space, integrating small architectural interventions to enhance connectivity and community engagement. The project’s tangible outcomes include comprehensive exhibition graphics and a 25-foot physical urban model of the aqueduct and its neighborhood. These materials will support at least two exhibitions and forums—one in Houston and one in Querétaro—bringing together Hércules residents, urban theorists, and architecture professionals to foster dialogue and collaborative strategies for neighborhood revitalization.

Echoes of an Aqueduct | Reviving History, Reconnecting Hércules addresses the critical challenge of obsolete infrastructures and their impact on communities and territories. It supports UH CoAD’s educational mission by raising awareness among students, faculty, and urban architecture professionals while demonstrating the value of cross-cultural collaboration through the Mexico–Texas pedagogical axis. By combining rigorous scholarship with public engagement, the project fosters interdisciplinary learning, encouraging community participation, ensuring inclusivity, and modeling sustainable urban transformation. Exhibition materials—large-scale models and visually compelling graphics—are carefully designed for accessibility, enabling dialogue among academics, professionals, and the Hércules community.

About the Organizer

José Roldán is a Spanish architect who graduated at the Seville University School of Architecture. In 2014, he graduated with Distinction at the Design Research Laboratory with an M.Arch at the Architectural Association School of Architecture of London.

José started his professional career with Norman Foster at his London office, developing several international projects such as the New Mexico International Airport. After two years, he joined Richard Rogers’s office in London where he stayed until 2022, specializing in big scale projects like the new Terminal 3 at Taiwan Airport and several skyscraper projects in Asia and America. In 2022 he moved to Houston where he works as Senior Designer at Page and as an Instructional Assistant Professor at the Hines College.