Community Repair Through Informal Building Approaches

Abstract

Research is based on an analysis of successful approaches to building and urban design in both formal and informal settings, in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. In an attempted to repair Mexico’s abandoned suburban developments - a government subsidized project, the design uses tactile material innovations. The test bed for the design is Cañadas del Florido and the symbiosis with the contrasting community, Los Laureles Canyon, an informal development. The project goal is to integrate the fabric of both formal and informal communities. Areas of research include material exploration through urban and residential design. If successful, incremental building techniques will allow for strong social networks and community growth. The project attempts to show how a community can be repaired through the principles of participation and building in phases. The desired outcome is to successfully weave together both typologies to produce a neighborhood rich with social capital.