Archiprix International 2001
Universidad Veracruzana, Unidad Poza Rica, Facultad de Arquitectura - Poza Rica, Mexico
Edith Gallardo del Angel
Tutors: Arch. Luis Manuel Villegas Salgado, Arch. Humberto Torres Guevara, Arch. Alvaro Hernandez Santiago
This project arose in the context of the extraordinary devastation caused by flooding in October 1999. There were two angles of approach: (1) There was extensive damages to housing (over 4,500 houses with serious structural problems), which had to be rectified as soon as possible. (2) Research had to be performed to tackle the housing problem in general. This work required a search for cheap construction technologies in safe areas of the city. The designers choose an alternative technology based on blocks of clay mixed with Portland cement, called 'machimblock'. These prefab blocks are shaped in such a way that their assembly presents many advantages in terms of climatic comfort (in the summer the temperature is over 40 °C). In addition, this method allows the victims to rebuild their homes themselves under the supervision of the designers. The model house was designed with the Gaia concept as a standard of judgement (Lovelock’s Hypothesis states: The Earth is like a live organism damaged for our development. It is our Mother – Gaia is Mother Goddess in Greek Mythology). After of the conclusion of the project, the designers negotiated for economic resources from various enterprises, local governments, and the civil service, obtaining resources to build four houses. A French company donated money, the state the land for the houses, the municipal council the basic utilities, and the cement industry the cement. With this support, the designers initiated a survey to choose four families as beneficiaries, with supervision. The graduation project, called 'CASA GAIA', exceeds the limits of a typical project conceived at the design table. This project places the architecture graduates face to face with the social, economic and ecological reality of the urban context in the Third World.The project was foundation in two aspects: In the knowledge of the damages in housing (over 4,500 houses with serious problems in the structure). One secod way was a precise research work of the housing problem in the underdeveloped context.This work forced to search for cheap construction technologies for rebuilding in safe areas of the city. The designers choose a alternative technology based in blocks of clay mixed with Portland cement, named 'machimblock'. This block has a die than permits to assemble the pieces for erect the walls presenting many advantages in climatic confort.( In the Summer The Temperature is over 40°C). The attributes of this method permits to the victims the self building of their homes with supervision of the designers.The architectural project of the model house was designed with this standars of judgement of construction; The Philosophy of design use the concept GAIA (this Hypotesis of Lovelock says: The Earth is like a live organisms damaged for our development) Lovelock conceive her as our Mother (GAIA is The Godess Mother in Greek Mithology). The project tray to rescue The Prehispanic Phylosophy of the Civilizations of old México.After of Finish the project, the designers make a negotiation for economic resources with Enterprises, Governments and Civil Society, obtaining resources for build four houses. A French Company donated money, The State Government donated the land for build the houses; The City Government donated the basic public services and Cement Industry donated Cement. With this supports, the designers apply a survey for choose four families beneficiaries with tutor´s supervision.The Graduation Project named 'CASA GAIA' exceeds the limits of a typical project conceived in the design table; this project permits to put the graduated in architecture face to face with the social, economic and ecological reality of the urban context in the third world, Besides this work is an example of management in diferents levels of professional redeeming.