El Sitio: A Timeless Way of Building

18/05/2023 to 20/05/2023

A newly commissioned pavilion by Mexicali-based architecture firms Veintedoce and Localista, which designed a platform for the event based on Alexander's ideas, Mexicali, BC, Mexico

Conference, Professional Event

“El Sitio: A Timeless Way of Building” was a three-day event held in Mexicali, Baja California, at the builders yard, that was part of the low cost housing project built by Christopher Alexander and the Center for Environmental Structure from 1975 to 1976. The builders yard was given the name El Sitio, and is used now as a health clinic and community center under the auspices of UABC. The work of the artist Zamudio was presented during the event, in which invited architects, urbanists and theorists engaged in the exploration of current issues of art, architecture and philosophy. .

Organized by:

INSITE Journal, as one of "The Sedimentary Effect" five-year project based in San Diego and Baja California, structured in three chapters: “Erratic Fields,” “A Timeless Way of Building,” and “The Spiritual Realm.” - Andrea Torreblanca, Curator

Contents

Visual & Audio Materials

Video by artist Pastizal Zamudio, titled "Before the Last Rubble, in the Face of Dawn", presents the artist's works, inspired by the theory and works of Christopher Alexander 19/05/2023

Video, mp3

Created by:

Pastizal Zamudio, INSITE Commonplaces , Mexicali, BC, Mexico

12-min video by Mexicali-based artist Pastizal Zamudio, who works between his hometown and the natural lndscapes, rural contexts and different agricultural fields of the United States. Zamudio’s first house as a child was El Sitio, the builder’s yard that was ...

References

Projects

Low Cost Houses for Mexicali 1975 to 1977

Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico

Low Cost Housing, Realized , Construction completed in 1977

Client:

Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Mexicali - Mr. Jorge Nunez, Director of the School of Architecture

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, Julio Martinez, Howard Davis, Donald Corner, students and families

Contractor:

Built by the families and local subcontractors under the management of the Center for Environmental Structure

Sponsor:

University of Baja California

Project cost:

$70,000

Project stages:

Pattern language for the project by C.E.S. Layout on the ground by clients and C.E.S. Preliminary Design drawings done after layout Direct Construction management along with on-site design decisions Budget and subcontractors under C.E.S. control Users in

A cluster of houses for large families, with a builders yard, built by the families themselves with the help of students from the Universidad Autonoma of Mexico, and a team of builders from the Center for Environmental Structure. Each house ...

Visual & Audio Materials

Video by INSITE Commonplaces, titled "El Sitio", presents the Mexical project

Project, Video, mp3

6-min video presents the Mexicali project, built by Christopher Alexander and the Center for Environmental Structure, and its many social, human, economical and architectural aspects in a succinct and effective way.