Architecture for Everyone

AV: In Mexico, architecture has undergone a democratisation process. Previously, architects were often seen as part of an elite, working on exclusive projects for certain social groups. However, with the increase in professionals, rising demand, and the evolution of the field, this perception has shifted. As education and culture have transformed, more people in Mexico have come to recognise architects not just as builders, but as comprehensive designers, appreciating the value in both aspects of the practice. Today, architects can be seen as guides who support spatial desires and visions,  offering creative and technical solutions that enrich any project. 

BV: Mexicali is undergoing a significant transformation, with clients now reaching out to architects not just for functional buildings, but for thoughtfully designed projects where they understand the value and cost involved. This marks a major shift in the city’s approach to architecture.

Across Mexico, the surge in architectural firms is driven by an increase in universities offering architecture programs. Around 20 years ago, Mexicali had only one institution training architects, but by 2024, five universities now offer these programs. Each year, more architecture graduates enter the field, leading us to question the future. With growing competition, how can we sustain a relevant practice? It's crucial to think about how we will remain pertinent in an increasingly competitive, image-based environment.

AV: With the rise in architects, there has been an increase in demand for architectural services. People are beginning to recognise the value an architect brings to the built environment. The stigma that hiring an architect is expensive and exclusive has lessened, though it still lingers. However, it is increasingly viewed as an investment. Clients are realising that working with an architect pays off in both residential and commercial projects.

While commercial clients have traditionally appreciated the value of an architect, now residential clients are also seeking these services. They understand that poor planning can lead to higher costs later on. Each client chooses the architect that fits their needs, contributing to a more diverse and sustainable work environment for our profession in Mexicali.

As a border city next to Calexico in the U.S., Mexicali's development has been part of a binational urban and political plan. The cities share more than just geography; even their names reflect their intertwined histories, with Mexicali representing Mexico and California, and Calexico symbolising California and Mexico. This shared origin has fostered a unique, collaborative work culture.

BV: The early years of the firm were very challenging. Although we’ve been in operation for nearly 15 years, the first 6 or 7 were particularly difficult. To continue working in architectural design, we had to take on civil works projects to survive. What Ángel mentioned about clients now coming in ready to hire reflects the consistency of our work since 2010. While I don’t have exact numbers on how many clients decide to hire us after the first meeting, most already come prepared to do so, having filtered themselves before reaching out.

Adaptation Phases

AV: Beatriz and I aren’t originally from this area, though we do come from a desert city with a similar climate. We moved here to study architecture and have witnessed Mexicali's growth and development firsthand. This city has a mix of contexts: it's heavily focused on industry and is relatively young, with around 120 years of history. Sometimes people underestimate it, comparing it to a small rural town, but I don’t think that comparison is entirely fair.

BV: Although there is a solid urban plan, authorities have very little control and often act based on other stakeholders' interests. This has led to organic and disorganised growth in Mexicali, with developers operating without constraints, resulting in chaotic development. Many private companies purchased large tracts of land on the outskirts to build social housing for Infonavit. However, in 2008, many went bankrupt, halting what they called development and leaving numerous homes abandoned or unfinished. At one point, Mexicali had the largest social housing developer in Mexico, though not always backed by Mexican investment. Now, remaining developers focus on middle-income housing and have stopped building on the outskirts, while living in these marginal areas remains the most affordable yet least desirable option for much of the city's population.

AV: All of this gives us contextual understanding. Additionally, Mexicali is the second hottest city in Mexico and faces the challenge of extreme weather. Jokingly, we say that in Mexicali we are all friends because we share a common enemy: the sun. Beyond the climatic context, there is also the geo-political aspect, given our proximity to the U.S. border, making us somewhat of a backyard to Calexico. As we mentioned there is also the industrial context, with rapid growth that has shaped our identity. Together, all these elements create a unique identity for the city.

BV: Upon graduating, we aspired to intern at a well-known firm but soon realized there were more opportunities in Mexicali, where the market was still developing. Instead of following a traditional path, we decided to establish our own office. We noticed that jobs at the two major local firms would confine us to repetitive, uncreative tasks, so we started in a modest space. The first 5 or 6 years were challenging due to the economic context and Mexicali's industrial development. The arrival of American companies in industrial parks created high demand for labor but forced us to focus on civil works to survive. We took on jobs like flooring, duct banks, and maintenance, which aligned more with industrial construction than architectural design projects.

AV: At that time in Mexicali, many people weren’t used to hiring professionals for architectural design projects. Even as we started generating more projects, many still didn’t understand why they should pay for drawings and the design process.

BV: Many clients would often say to us, "Just make an initial drawing, and then we’ll see." At first, we accepted this, but we soon realised it wasn’t sustainable. When we began to value our work appropriately, things improved significantly.

Impulse and Validation

AV: We have reached several milestones in our practice, including changes in our team and approach. In 2010, we began with four partners, then reduced to three, and ultimately became just Beatriz and me. Each change marked a renewal in our journey. From the start, we learned to integrate aesthetic, construction, and economic aspects. In Mexicali, combining construction and design was crucial for effectively selling design ideas and ensuring project profitability. This experience taught us the importance of considering construction from the beginning of the design process, which has been fundamental to our practice and development. 

BV: In 2017, I applied for a national grant from the National Fund for Culture and the Arts (CONACULTA) and received funding for a research project consisting of 81 models. This marked a significant milestone, especially since that year, Ángel and I found ourselves alone in the office, working from home with a limited workload and few clients. However, this project allowed us to move forward until the pandemic. In 2020, during the pandemic, we received a commission to design a supermarket project. Since supermarkets remained open during COVID-19, they were able to hire us. From that point on, despite having just three team members, we continued to secure work.

AV: Winning the grant was a turning point for us. Before that, we were striving to find our own way while seeking validation. The scholarship provided a significant boost, affirming we were on the right path. It came at a time of crisis when we felt we weren’t achieving our goals. This recognition shifted our perspective and led to an increase in projects, marking an upturn in our practice and reinforcing our confidence moving forward.

360-Degrees Architecture

AV: I’ve noticed that many people locally tend to focus on aesthetics or final finishes, often overlooking important aspects like costs, constructibility, and functionality. Our approach to architecture is all about achieving true integrity in design. It’s not just about creating something beautiful and expensive; it’s about blending aesthetics with efficiency and durability. We want our projects to be not only visually appealing but also practical and economical. Sometimes, we have to gently let certain clients know that we may not be the best fit for what they need, as it might lead to a better outcome for everyone involved.

BV: Our first project was building offices from shipping containers in 2011. This type of construction was still pretty new in Mexico, even though it had been around in the U.S. for a while. We thought of it as a hybrid approach, mixing traditional methods like concrete blocks with innovative ideas. The biggest challenge was working with our client, who was also our partner. As an electronic engineer, he mainly saw the project as a business opportunity rather than an architectural venture, which often clashed with our design vision. Still, it did give us valuable experience in civil works.

Facing New Challenges 

AV: The Calimax façade project is really significant for us. While working on it during the pandemic, I realised how far we had come. Even though the Calimax market façade is a relatively small project, it gave us a sense of self-validation that we were on the right track. The construction was challenging, especially with the lattice structure, which came with several technical issues. Another noteworthy project is Plaza Saratoga. Though it was also small, the design and construction presented real challenges, with the construction being one of the most complicated tasks we've faced.

BV: Plaza Saratoga is in Algodones, a small border city known for attracting Americans and Canadians for dental services. Built about 20 years ago, the plaza features an irregular design with many retail spaces, highlighted by a triangular shape and a central circular void. When we were tasked with renovating it, we needed to find a way to provide shade during the hot Algodones summers while still letting sunlight in during the milder winters. Our proposal focused on creating a shading structure that offered coverage while allowing sunlight to filter through in colder months. We decided to use terracotta roof tiles arranged unconventionally; instead of overlapping them, we spaced them apart starting from a central point. This approach posed several construction challenges, but ultimately resulted in a solution that met the project’s needs.

AV: It was a fascinating geometric exercise. During construction, we had to make the tiles appear to "float," which required us to find the right structural solution to support them while balancing their support and framework. The plaza's location in a small northern city with limited construction materials added another layer of complexity. Managing logistics for transporting materials and overseeing construction in such a resource-scarce area was quite a challenge. Spanning 250 square meters, the project was ultimately carried out by the local labor force. Working closely with these skilled local experts—essentially artisans—helped us realise that sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. There were times we questioned why we made things more complicated than necessary, discovering that a simpler approach would have sufficed. This project taught us valuable lessons about planning, construction, and adapting to site realities, reinforcing that often, the simplest solutions are the best.

Towards a Simple and Authentic Architecture

BV: Over time, after working on various projects, we have developed a strong interest in materiality. We believe that incorporating bioclimatic strategies, while sometimes challenging due to client beliefs or budgets, is essential in architecture for Mexicali. Protecting against the sun and adapting to extreme temperature variations are crucial, yet these considerations are often overlooked in current buildings. For us, these principles should be integral to every design, not treated as optional.

In desert climates, designs must address extreme weather, shielding against heat while allowing sunlight in during winter. We have also come to appreciate materiality on a deeper level, choosing to expose materials as they are. We focus on using locally available materials like exposed brick and precast cement blocks instead of importing or creating new ones. By showcasing the identity of these materials in our projects, we move away from superficial finishes and connect with the local context, which truly motivates us.

AV: For us, it is currently about revaluing materials. It is not just about immediate appearance, but about truly appreciating what we have nearby. Whether it is wood, concrete, or a curtain, we strive to highlight and value those materials for what they are. We are not trying to propose something completely new; rather, it is a process of rediscovery. If an exposed brick looks beautiful and performs well, it does not require painting or additional finishes; that has value in itself. These revaluations help us understand and appreciate aspects that, while present in the city's architectural history, often go unnoticed today.

BV: In recent years in Mexicali, it has become common to use industrial ceramic materials and finishes designed to withstand the test of time and ease maintenance. However, we prefer to propose something simpler and more authentic, like exposed bricks or unpainted blocks. When a client accepts an exposed finish without contemporary decorative elements, it feels like a big win for us. Additionally, the aspect of light is also fundamental in our architecture. We believe that a space should be naturally well-lit and properly ventilated, which is especially important in a place like Mexicali for the bioclimatic aspects mentioned above.

Transmitting Knowledge

BV: We are academics at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, where we also studied about 20 years ago. I teach the Comprehensive Design course for seventh-semester students, which is the semester right before they graduate. In this course, students develop a complete architectural and executive project. I have been teaching this class for about five and a half years. Although the time I dedicate—around 10 hours a week—can be demanding, the satisfaction it brings me is invaluable. Sometimes, I feel it is almost an obligation for me; it feels like my duty. I am concerned that when students graduate, they possess knowledge I did not have back then. If my experience can be useful to them, then I feel like I am fulfilling my purpose.

AV: I have been teaching for three years, which is less time than Beatriz. And while it has not been a continuous experience, I have noticed many changes over the past decade. Despite our differences in teaching approaches, we both believe that teaching is a responsibility. For us, it is essential to share our vision of architecture and the city with new students. We aim to contribute to their learning in a way that enables them to help drive improvements in Mexicali more quickly. We see a young city like Mexicali as an ideal environment for problem-solving through design, especially given its climate and challenges. It is crucial to prepare future generations to tackle these issues and explore innovative solutions.