Diagrammatic Map of the Uxmal Ruins

This is a map of the coexistence of natural land and built construction and how it informs the hierarchy of spaces within the ruin. The hilly topography of the Puuc region forms a setting for the site and requires the Mayans to construct with the landscape in mind. The topography also contributes to the spatial hierarchy found throughout the ruin. The interior spaces of the constructs are designed with varying occupants in mind. Similar to chora, the art of becoming and being, the spaces' heights are directly related to status. The higher off the ground, the closer to the gods. Mass versus void is diagrammed according to tone. The darker shades signify the overall masses created by the clusters of constructions and the white shows the open areas between. The edges define the masses within Uxmal. Even though the city wall no longer stands it forms a boundary condition for the site. The edge enclosing the masses is also not visible, but implied.