Centro Urbano Benito Juárez

The Centro Urbano Benito Juárez, more commonly called the Multifamiliar Juárez, was a large apartment complex built on the southeast section of Colonia Roma, Mexico City in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was one of several projects of this type by architect Mario Pani, designed to be semi-autonomous and incorporate as much outdoors space as possible. It also featured one of the largest mural works of the 20th century by artist Carlos Mérida. Most of the complex, and the mural work with it, were destroyed by the 1985 Mexico City earthquake and the demolition of many of the damaged buildings. Only a few of the original buildings still remain. Despite this, the Cuauhtémoc borough in which it is located still lists it as a separate colonia or neighborhood.

The land was the site of the former Estadio Nacional, which was built in 1924 to serve not only as a sports stadium but as a political venue as well. Presidents Plutarco Elías Calles, Emilio Portes Gil and Lázaro Cárdenas all took their oaths of office here. The stadium as mostly abandoned by the end of the 1940s, as most of its functions moved to the Ciudad Deportiva. Pensiones Civiles, a government agency, acquired the land, which is bordered by Avenida Antonio M.Anza to the north, Huatabampo Street to the south, Avenida Cuauhtemoc to the east and Jalapa Street to the west, in an area known as Colonia Roma. This area also included the La Piedad city park, providing for already open space.

In the mid 20th century, the Mexican government was building "centros urbanos" or planned urban communities in various parts of the city. These communities contain their own administration, businesses, recreational areas, schools, as well as health and other services. These were planned to be semiautonomous units, usually located near a Metro station. Architect Mario Pani was behind this complex and several others. Prior, he created the Centro Urbano Miguel Alemán (commonly called the Multifamiliar Alemán) in the late 1940s, as an experiment in providing low cost housing. Its success prompted the commission of the Centro Urbano Benito Juárez by Mexican President Miguel Alemán Valdés to house government employees and their families. With this project, Pani and associate Enrique del Moral looked to improve upon the stark lines of the Alemán project. Pani's work on this and other projects paralleled that of French architect Le Corbusier, using the latter's principles such as location, mobility, architectural aesthetics, history and more. These projects would make Pani the most important Mexican architect of the 20th century. The complex was inaugurated on 10 September 1952 on the day of President Alemán's sixth report to Congress.

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