Low Cost Houses for Mexicali: Layout of a cluster

01/01/1976

Design Matters, Layout Process

Steps to follow for the location of the individual building masses in a cluster, by using nine patterns in such a way that space formed by each house is positive in character. One page with guidelines and two more with sketches of the clusters resulting out of them, are included.

Authors:

Christopher Alexander, Julio Martinez, Howard Davis, Donald Corner, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.

Content of

Project

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 ...

References

Scientific Research

The Layout Process of Buildings on the Land - Visualization at Full Scale on Site

Areas of focus:

Design and Building Process

Guiding idea:

Step by Step Process

Each act of building needs to have a positive effect on its surroundings; to complete them, preserve their structure, make them better, by creating strong centers in them and next to them. Each new building is more alive when it ...