Preserving the architectural heritage of a city is more than an aesthetic endeavor: old buildings tell stories and inform citizens about a past they did not witness. For those who reject this cultural romanticism, there is an additional reason to refrain from demolishing old buildings in our cities: humanity is dangerously close to exhausting the Earth's resources, and we must begin to question our predilection for new things. Usually, the term "recycling" is used to talk about single-use plastics, sheets of paper or cardboard boxes, but it is time to also use it for derelict buildings. A few years ago, a textile and lace factory in Mexico City's Doctores neighborhood closed after almost 100 years of operation. The property - with three stories surrounding a central courtyard; large windows with gridded ironwork; and a distinctive green façade - is enormous both in sheer size and potential. The first new tenant was Buna, a Mexican coffee company that installed its roastery inside the former factory. Later, some design and architecture firms saw potential to create a community in the building, and that is how La Laguna began to emerge as a complex that would house offices, workshops, and spaces accessible for the public, with the aim of reactivating the area.