BUILD Architecture Awards 2023 8 converting 80% of waste into compost, replenishing the soil and mitigating subsurface erosion. Furthermore, the firm actively incorporates the use of treated water from diverse industries, contributing to the conservation of water resources. Flora and fauna can completely renovate the landscape, both externally and internally. We can see a shift in how we view the world, but we also feel a shift within ourselves – mentally. Good for our mental health, plants can actually have an impact on the way we feel; plants can lift our spirits, cleanse our bodies with their oxygen output, and soothe our minds when we spend time around them. Huatan creates “small, natural paradises within cities” so that we can find a beautiful escape from all of the intimidatingly grey buildings. Talking of one of Huatan’s fantastic achievements, Daniel tells us, “One of our most recent projects was to give life to a green space inside the most important television station in Mexico.” Ultimately, life isn’t without challenges, but Huatan knows how to tackle them and transform them into windows for opportunity. Daniel continues, “The challenge was to make this space, not only a breath of nature within the facilities but also, serve as part of the scenery for the transmission of its newscasts with the largest audience. For this reason, the concept of this landscape design was created to connect people with nature, both for those who work within the television station and thousands of viewers who see it through its transmission.” By working together as a team, Huatan has increased its success rates and become a great player within the industry. As an integral part of society, landscape companies are doing invaluable work which improves all of our lives in some way. Daniel comments on the industry’s development in the current world. He says, “Landscape architecture, which is our area of specialty, is in a period of global growth. It is a prevailing need for cities to be increasingly greener, for asphalt to be replaced by plants and quads by gardens. People have gone back to look toward nature as a fundamental piece of their daily happiness.” Daniel, amongst many others, believes that “the isolation caused by the pandemic boosted this need for reconnection at an unstoppable speed.” Indeed, we have all experienced the bitter taste that the pandemic has left. After such a tumultuous time it has been magnificent to see companies like Huatan to flourish despite any hardships they may have faced throughout the past few years. Huatan has faced its challenges head on and continued to design and implement its plans for a more sustainable – and beautiful – surrounding environment. By cultivating its own sustainable technology which has, ultimately, pushed it even further into the limelight, Huatan is changing the industry as we know it. “The challenge we face is to create more and better natural spaces using technology as an ally for sustainability, which is why we are developers of our own technology. This obviously implies constant evolution and maintenance,” says Daniel. The four major cities it works with in the US are only the tip of the iceberg for Huatan’s expansion as it continues to look for more partnerships in different locations. Always striving to innovate, improve, and explore new ideas – alongside its technological developments – Huatan is making a huge impact on the world around it. As the first company to successfully export live Mexican plants to the United States, Huatan has truly made a name for itself. Bringing beauty to every project it touches, Huatan consistently advances, makes more connections, and improves the ecosystem – which means that Daniel and the team can continue doing what they do best, all for the greater good of the planet and everyone who lives on it. Daniel adds, “We are proud plant producers with our very own 12-acre nursery that produces more than 1 million square feet of grass and more than 1 million plants a year of different species for our own use, 25% of them with the necessary characteristics for export.” The future will bring even more bright spaces that are rich in texture, colour, scents, and life – whether it be the insects, animals, humans, or plants, all of us can enjoy the luxurious spaces that Huatan creates. Daniel shares, “We are very excited about the future and a new venture of ours is close to becoming a reality. We are about to open a new business project called Casa Huatan which will be our direct sales to the public. Casa Huatan will have three points of contact: a physical store located in one of the most upscale, busiest areas of Mexico City, online sales through our website, and Casa Huatan’s Plant Truck, a mobile shop and display in a retro Campervan conditioned to partially open like a box, with a retractable roof for a panoramic shopping experience.
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