Overpopulation shapes urban growth

AE: Today, two main factors contribute to the boom in the construction field in Mexico: the widespread use of social media has played a crucial role in showcasing Mexico's architectural accomplishments to the world, highlighting buildings with significant architectural value from 1940 to 1990 in Mexico. Additionally, overpopulation has become a significant issue. It contributes to the dynamic changes in urban landscapes, influencing both the perception and reality of growth in Mexico. Therefore, while Mexico has always had a flourishing architectural scene, the combination of social media exposure and the challenges of overpopulation is now bringing this to the forefront. I believe the impact is more noticeable in Mexico City, Guadalajara, or Monterrey due to their large populations. This is a significant factor because, with more people, there's more economic activity and demand for various services. 

Additionally, one of the main reasons many people from around the world are drawn to Mexico is its appeal as a tourist destination. Many desire to own a second home here or see it as a potential investment spot. Take Puerto Vallarta, for instance, located in Jalisco, near Guadalajara. It's experiencing significant growth because international visitors, particularly Americans and Canadians, are looking to buy property or spend extended periods there. Since Puerto Vallarta is heavily visited by tourists, there's a lot of work available. It's interesting to note that clients often seek a particular style, perhaps through their research on different firms and social media. We have witnessed that clients are aware of certain companies or studios and seek to hire them to recreate the same style they've seen in places like Mexico City. Naturally, adjustments are made to suit the local context and materials while still maintaining the essence of the company's style. MA Studio is located in Puerto Vallarta, and I believe that being here and operating from this location provides us a better understanding of the local context and more knowledge about the climate, weather, and local materials. 

The history of Puerto Vallarta has always been linked to tourism and It's interesting to note that it was founded by miners. The architectural style in the downtown area is called Serrano. There are many variations, but it mainly reflects the style of the mountains and mining communities that settled in Puerto Vallarta. Over time, particularly since the 1970s and 1980s, different architectural styles have been introduced. The tourist industry has experienced ups and downs, and when Puerto Vallarta lacks strong tourist attractions, both the economy and architecture suffer. For about ten years now, this area has been booming. Everything is rising in value, and many towers are being built, making everything more expensive and gentrified.  As a result, many buildings in Puerto Vallarta lack a connection to the local context or history.

Crafting quality amidst the boom

AE: I am not sure if there is a direct correlation, but it might be a coincidence that emerging architects are rising during this boom. It seems to be a phenomenon where we get opportunities due to the abundance of work. Large architectural firms or companies from outside this area might not take on these commissions because they already have plenty of work. Because of this abundance of work, emerging architects have the chance to design and build. Are emerging architects positioning themselves more critically towards what is happening in these areas, or is it just a small percentage? I think it is a very small percentage of quality architecture. These architects stand out because most of the other work around them is not as critical or as beautifully designed. For us, it is different. As a practice, it's strange how we position ourselves in this spot. We started as a carpentry business, so from the start, we had the idea of using carpentry as a source of income to develop into an architectural firm. Most of the projects we built in the initial phase were due to circumstances and coincidences. However, we have been slowly transitioning to the projects we truly want. When designing or building, we base our architecture on the local context. The spirit of the site, or genius loci, guides our design. We work with local artisans, use local materials, and meet local needs. This approach helps us design and position ourselves. We have been operating as a firm for four years, which is a relatively short time in the field of architecture.

Hands-On Architectural Design

AE: As I mentioned, we started as a carpentry business. This was because our first project was to supervise the construction of a large hotel. We were given the commission to build, design, and supervise it. Our initial idea was to maintain the carpentry business while establishing our architecture firm, but we decided to focus solely on architecture. Our first commission came through relationships. It was offered to us by friends of a friend, leading to our first design-build project in Yelapa, a remote village that you can reach only by boat from Puerto Vallarta. This project, called Tarasana, marked a strange transition from carpentry to architecture. Since then, one commission has led to another. Sometimes, this happens randomly because people see what we built in Yelapa, and they start contacting us, asking about our experience and what we have done.

The practical experience from carpentry has greatly influenced our approach to architecture. We have learned everything from building a door to constructing an entire space. We understand that small details affect the overall design. What impacts us the most is that we not only design but also participate in the construction process. We mix concrete, hammer nails, pour concrete, and carry blocks alongside the workers. We are very hands-on in our construction projects. As architects, we do not just supervise and give instructions. We actively contribute and participate in the entire process. Our relationship with carpentry has taught us valuable lessons. In our workshop, we were always hands-on, working with machines and being involved in the finishing process. We learned that the processes in carpentry and architecture are very similar. To achieve the best results, you need to be involved from beginning to end. On construction sites, the relationship between the architect and the workers is crucial. We engage the workers by allowing them to contribute to the design and make changes because they often have a better understanding of practical aspects. We are not rigidly attached to the design on paper. You start with a design idea on paper, but when you take it to the carpenter, adjustments are often made. We redesign the project in real-time. 

I always encourage other architects to be involved in building as well, to understand that there are two different ways of designing: one in the office and one on site, and they are very different from each other. We take this very seriously and remain flexible to make changes as needed, based on circumstances and context. In carpentry, you often need to make adjustments on the spot to improve functionality, and we apply the same approach to architecture.

Crafting flexibility in architecture

AE: Tarasana is a unique project. Everything started with a simple brief from our client: no straight lines. The construction material for Tarasana is called ferrocement. Ferrocement consists of about 70-80% steel and 20-30% concrete. This method is very flexible and can adapt to any shape. Since the building is a birthing centre, we based our design on the themes of birth and new beginnings. From a construction perspective, every rebar in the building is unique, reflecting the organic, non-linear design that was requested. There are more than a thousand rebars, and each rebar is different. You need to be at the site day and night with the workers, instructing them to shape it here, move it there, and adjust it. Sometimes they don’t understand, so you have to do it yourself. You might climb onto the construction shell and start shaping the rebar yourself so they understand what you want.

The tectonic part of this project was like a masterpiece. We needed to be there 24/7, taking care of each detail to build it as we presented it to the client. But it was also flexible enough to allow for improvisation. This is the most important part of architecture: the ability to improvise and change during the process to create a better space and experience. Sometimes, there are economic limitations or financiers and developers who are not flexible, but it's worth trying to make changes. Architecture cannot be built only in the office; it has to be built on-site and must have that flexibility. In this project, flexibility was crucial because of its organic shape. It is a good example of being flexible both metaphorically and physically.

The only way to get to Yelapa is by boat. From there, materials can only be transported by horses, donkeys, or motorbikes. This adds a logistical challenge to the building process. We had to find an economical and practical way to construct the building. Although we would sometimes like to use more eco-friendly materials, they are often harder to transport and unavailable locally. That’s why we decided to use ferrocement, which is more accessible. Since ferrocement uses steel rebars and concrete, both were readily available. This approach allowed us to build pragmatically and transport materials more easily, as smaller pieces are easier to assemble. In this case, steel and concrete were cheaper than materials like bamboo, which would have had to be sourced from outside the city or even the country. There were many lessons because it was a unique project, but this ability to adapt stands out. This approach is crucial in working with ferrocement and considering the social impact on the community. 

It was interesting that the birth centre became a holistic centre offering yoga classes, temazcales, drum making, and educational sessions about birth and sexual health. We have no control over what happens once the construction is finished. So, once it's done, the client can use it however they want. This happened because of certain restrictions: To make it safe and legitimate for mothers giving birth, a surgery room must be available in case of emergencies. This is one of the reasons why the centre hasn't yet developed into a birth centre. Interestingly, before we even finished building Tarasana, we already shared the construction process on social media, especially Instagram. People from around the world started contacting us, asking if they could come and give birth there. We received messages from Costa Rica, Panama, Chile, the United States, Canada, and other places. We had to tell them it wasn't finished yet and would take time because there was no surgery room. Surprisingly, many of them said they didn't care about the lack of a surgery room and still wanted to give birth in this space. This shows a phenomenon where, in today's world, having a baby has become so artificial. Hospitals today often use many chemicals, artificial lights, and materials, making the experience unpleasant. Many people are willing to take the risk of giving birth without a surgery room to avoid this artificial environment. 

Contextual high-rise solutions

AE: This is sometimes paradoxical because we're talking about being contextual, but then we have this big challenge of building 60 units. It's a challenge to take care of local needs and natural issues while still accommodating 60 apartments. The way we are trying to do this is by minimising the impact on the site and making the building more vertical rather than horizontal. We recognise that today's needs are different from those of ten years ago, and families are becoming smaller. We have analysed that the space needs of young people today are not the same as those of the past generation. We are designing a sleek building that is six metres wide by 40 metres long. The idea is to make it vertical to fit 60 units on the land. We believe strongly in the genius loci, so we are trying to preserve as many trees as possible. Of course, a good project requires a good client. Otherwise, there will always be conflicts. 

Thanks to Tarasana, we are currently building a house for American clients in Yelapa. It's an existing house that the client wants to tear down and remodel. Our approach is to save and use as much of the existing structure as possible. We value design that respects what is already there and keeps things simple, especially since transporting materials to the site is a big challenge. Our design is inspired by a Mayan temple, with terraces similar to the ones already present on the beachfront property. We base our design on contextual needs while adding our unique perspective. This is one of our latest projects, and I have a clear idea of how it will take shape. We believe that the building can only be built there. It cannot be in another location. It is designed specifically for that site. Yelapa has a very fragile community and we want to be very careful with everything that we do. 

Balancing growth and social impact

AE: Thinking about the future, we have some internal dilemmas. On the one hand, we would like our practice to grow because we want to make a bigger impact. However, we are not very interested in building condominiums or hotels. Being in a tourist spot with international clients limits our projects in some ways. In places like Mexico City or Guadalajara, you could get involved in public projects, while in Puerto Vallarta is much more difficult, since the majority of the construction is private. We would be very interested in building schools, low-income housing, theatres, and museums… projects with social impact and meaningful for the community. Currently, most of the architecture in Mexico is built for wealthy clients, especially in tourist spots where people have a lot of money. That also happens to us since most of our commissions come from private clients. We haven't yet had the opportunity to design for clients with economic restrictions, but, as I said, it’s a bit tricky because we would like our practice to grow, so we have to take on some projects. Maybe, thanks to these clients, we will be able to grow and get involved in public commissions in the future.