Together with the developer Reurbano the architecture office Productora renovates historical buildings in Mexico City in as socially and architecturally responsible a way as possible. In the project “Manuel Dublán 46” they refurbished a neo-colonial patio house, adding an L-shaped floor to create a total of 17 apartments — including communal terraces and courtyard. Parallel to this “Laguna”, a creative hub was made in a former textile factory. The site was transformed in a series of stages into an internal ecological system with studios, workshops and cafés. In both projects the existing buildings harmonize effortlessly with the strong, reduced forms and fresh interventions in glowing colours. But they also show that finding a balance between well-meaning progress and undesirable gentrification effects is one of the most complex aspects of contemporary revitalization projects in the Mexican capital.