The towns of the Popocateptl Volcano. Territorial symbolism, cultural identity and vernacular architecture

[EN] This paper addresses the relationship between identity and territory from a cultural geography perspective. The case of study is the Popocatépetl Volcano settlements in central Mexico. Natural and social features that have determined the traditional local building and urban spacial solutions are considered. The theoretical approach is based on hermeneutics theories, namely, the symbolic-cultural appropriation of the territory, based on the meaning and symbolism underlying the cultural identity of the communities’ territorial ways of life. It is supported by the results of field research carried out over three years in two towns where university students and local people joined. According to Giménez, whose theory is fundamental for this study, the territories hold a symbolism for the peoples and their history, from which it follows that in rural areas spatial decisions respond mainly to cultural factors. The meaning that ancestral territories comprise for ethnic and mestizo groups, as well as their attachment explains the conception of being places of anchoring collective memory, in the author terms. The latter will be explained through the local vernacular constructive solutions of the volcano towns, their streets and trails, the complementary spaces and elements of daily community life such as orchards and barns. This paper does not overlook the current matter and issues that have arisen after several governmental policies, that together with real estate and cement companies, have disrupted local quality of life, people values and their idiosyncrasies. The cultural development of these towns took centuries to achieve; the mastery of the trades from the knowledge of the materials, among others. Three decades have sufficed for the globalization interests disguised as progress, to make local people let go their ancestral knowledge on how to build their dwellings and how to solve their public spaces. All these is in detriment of the natural resources leading to a loss of balance between human space and nature.Aguilar Prieto, B. (2022). The towns of the Popocateptl Volcano. Territorial symbolism, cultural identity and vernacular architecture. En Proceedings HERITAGE 2022 - International Conference on Vernacular Heritage: Culture, People and Sustainability. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 721-727. https://doi.org/10.4995/HERITAGE2022.2022.1424472172

La salvaguarda de los paisajes histórico-rurales en Italia

Los paisajes histórico-rurales poseen un elevado valor cultural, suma del entorno natural de cada sitio y de aquel modificado por el hombre para su propio beneficio. Su valor radica en el conocimiento popular que subyace en la creación de sus espacios. El resultado armonioso de estos paisajes es producto del conocimiento de los habitantes de los pueblos rurales a partir de los factores ambientales de cada región, el cual conforma la sabiduría de las comunidades del campo, decantada a lo largo del tiempo y plasmada en la idiosincrasia de cada pueblo. Si bien el valor de los paisajes histórico-rurales ha sido reconocido por los organismos internacionales que dedican sus esfuerzos a la salvaguarda del patrimonio, la problemática por la que atraviesan vulnera su persistencia y daña los delicados tejidos social y cultural y sin duda, el equilibrio ambiental. A partir de diferentes tipos de medidas se han obtenido logros en distintas regiones del mundo. Para su ejemplificación se presenta aquí el caso de Italia y se hace  una mención del patrimonio paisajístico rural de carácter histórico en México, con la intención de mostrar la problemática y cuáles serían las consecuencias culturales y ambientales de no atenderse ésta, a partir de ciertas medidas que se sugieren

Contemporary earthen architecture in Mexico

The purpose of this study is to put forward an appraisal of current remarkable works of earthen architecture in Mexico, where raw earth architecture, particularly in adobe, has been built since ancient times, but has nevertheless, been substituted by industrial materials that bring poor living conditions for the inhabitants both in urban as in rural areas. Recently, rather than vernacular architecture built by its users, it is within architectonic design that a kind of revival has been taking place over the past two decades. This new language is being written both with adobe as with rammed earth building techniques. Interesting to point out is that current technology on raw earth is based upon an exchange of information between traditional workmanship and building methods, which over generations have manifested themselves in acquired knowledge and skill, plus the contribution that architects bring with technology and design which enable them to improve living conditions and durability. As prior methodology, the results of this paper are based upon interviews made to the designers, builders and users of the works exposed, in the observation of the properties of raw earth construction and in consulting any available written references about the works. Though still on a low scale, it is encouraging to note that both private as well as public investors are beginning to be convinced of the benefits earthen architecture represents in terms of energy saving, as costs are reduced in a considerable way, not to mention the environmental damage that diminishes considerably when industrial materials are substituted by natural ones. This article is based upon a conference dictated at the Conference Mediterra, hold at Cagliari on March of this year

Arquitectura contemporánea en tierra en México

The purpose of this study is to put forward an appraisal of current remarkable works of earthen architecture in Mexico, where raw earth architecture, particularly in adobe, has been built since ancient times, but has nevertheless, been substituted by industrial materials that bring poor living conditions for the inhabitants both in urban as in rural areas. Recently, rather than vernacular architecture built by its users, it is within architectonic design that a kind of revival has been taking place over the past two decades. This new language is being written both with adobe as with rammed earth building techniques. Interesting to point out is that current technology on raw earth is based upon an exchange of information between traditional workmanship and building methods, which over generations have manifested themselves in acquired knowledge and skill, plus the contribution that architects bring with technology and design which enable them to improve living conditions and durability. As prior methodology, the results of this paper are based upon interviews made to the designers, builders and users of the works exposed, in the observation of the properties of raw earth construction and in consulting any available written references about the works. Though still on a low scale, it is encouraging to note that both private as well as public investors are beginning to be convinced of the benefits earthen architecture represents in terms of energy saving, as costs are reduced in a considerable way, not to mention the environmental damage that diminishes considerably when industrial materials are substituted by natural ones. This article is based upon a conference dictated at the Conference Mediterra, hold at Cagliari on March of this year.L’objectiu d’aquest estudi és destacar la importància d’algunes obres destacables d’arquitectura realitzades a la terra de Mèxic. On, tot i que l’arquitectura a la terra, particularment l’adob, ha estat construïda des de temps ancestrals, en èpoques recents s’han introduït, tant a les àrees rurals com urbanes, materials industrialitzats que han empobrit les condicions de vida dels seus habitants. Recentment, el disseny amb adob ha ressorgit no en l’àmbit de l’arquitectura vernacular, sinó en el del disseny arquitectònic contemporani. Aquest nou llenguatge està essent escrit usant tant l’adob com la terra compactada. És important destacar que l’actual tecnologia de terra crua està basada en l’intercanvi d’informació i coneixement entre els artesans tradicionals i els mètodes de construcció contemporanis, on els arquitectes han contribuït a la millora de les condicions de vida i la durabilitat dels edificis. La metodologia està basada en entrevistes realitzades als dissenyadors, constructors i usuaris de les obres analitzades, així com en l’observació de les propietats de les matèries primes de construcció i en les fonts bibliogràfiques. És important destacar que, encara que de manera modesta, tant els inversors públics com privats comencen a convèncer-se dels beneficis de l’arquitectura amb terra en termes d’estalvi energètic, ja que els costs es redueixen considerablement, per no mencionar la reducció del mal ambiental que es redueix de forma significativa quan els materials industrials són substituïts per altres naturals.El objetivo de este estudio es poner de relieve la importancia de algunas obras destacables de arquitectura realizadas en tierra en México. En donde, a pesar de que la arquitectura en tierra, particularmente en adobe, ha sido construida desde tiempos ancestrales, en épocas recientes se han introducido, tanto en áreas rurales como urbanas, materiales industrializados que han empobrecido las condiciones de vida de sus habitantes. Recientemente el diseño en adobe ha resurgido no en el ámbito de la arquitectura vernácula, sino en el del diseño arquitectónico contemporáneo. Este nuevo lenguaje está siendo escrito usando tanto adobe como tierra apisonada. Es importante destacar que la actual tecnología de tierra cruda está basada en el intercambio de información y conocimiento entre los artesanos tradicionales y los métodos de construcción contemporáneos, en donde los arquitectos han contribuido en la mejora de las condiciones de vida y la durabilidad de los edificios. La metodología está basada en entrevistas realizadas a los diseñadores, constructores y usuarios de las obras analizadas, así como en la observación de las propiedades de las materias primas de construcción y en las fuentes bibliográficas. Es importante destacar que, aunque de manera modesta, tanto los inversores públicos como privados empiezan a convencerse de los beneficios de la arquitectura en tierra en términos de ahorro energético, por cuanto los costes se reducen considerablemente, por no mencionar la reducción del daño ambiental que se reduce de manera significativa cuando los materiales industriales son sustituidos por otros naturales.Tierra apisonadaDiseñoPeer Reviewe