A Transparent Building Process: An Example of a Building Manual for Self Help Housing and the Organization of the Building Process

01/01/1977

Student Work, M.Arch Thesis

299-page Master of Architecture thesis with the following Table of Contents: Part One: The Mexicali Project – A Case Study; Part Two: An example of building manual for self-help housing; Part Three: The organization of a building process for self-help housing. Christopher Alexander was the Committee Chairman.

Authors:

Peter C. Bosselman, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.

Content of

Academic Course

Guidance and supervision of students in the Master of Architecture Program 1977

University Program:

Master of Architecture

Instructors:

Christopher Alexander

Enrolled students:

Peter C. Bosselman, David J. Richmond, Benjamin Clavan

M.Arch Thesis and Professional Reports submitted for partial completion of the Master of Architecture Program; construction experience special study course for graduate students.

References

Scientific Research

Dynamics of a Growing Neighborhood - Rules and Patterns for Laying out a Neighborhood

Areas of focus:

Design and Building Process

Guiding idea:

Step by Step Process

Neighborhoods and communities grow and change over time, and the effect of time on the process of its adaptation on real needs is huge, and leads to types and styles of order quite different from any planned arrangement, based on ...

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 ...