Conserving Adobe Architecture at the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro

 

Luis Fernando Guerrero Baca*

Francisco Uviña Contreras**

 

Earthen Architecture conforms a delicate component of cultural heritage, which unfortunately, has not been appraised in an appropriate way. A great part of society considers that has not transcendence and, for this reason, it is abandoned or sometimes destroyed.

About this problem, few years ago an academic group was organized. This team of professionals from governmental institutions and NGO’s in the North of Mexico and the United States Southwest, formed an organization called International Seminar for the Conservation and Restoration of Earthen Architecture (SICRAT: Seminario Internacional de Conservacion y Restauracion de Arquitectura de Tierra).

Since its foundation, the Seminario has looked for exchanging experiences in this matter and creating knowledge and actions that guide the preservation of earth structures.

In this way, it came evidence that the best way to concrete actions for the safeguard of Earthen Architecture is the joined work of technicians, artisans and the society to which this heritage belongs.

            This group’s initial objective was the investigation of existing construction systems. With the exchange of knowledge in conservation and restoration techniques, it has since evolved: the number of participants has increased diversifying its academic training; the number of entities and organizations involved has gradually increased; but most importantly, it has transformed the way it works and has become a time where hands-on, and practical preservation activities in direct collaboration with the local communities take place.

            The main objective of the talk to be presented is to outline the characteristics and evolution of the SICRAT, emphasizing the activities that took place in 2003 in the historical cities of Janos, Chihuahua and Nombre de Dios, Durango, in Mexico, as well as at the Lincoln, New Mexico, in the United States. The results of these workshops will be highlighted, for example the restoration work of earthen structures and the actions generated by the local communities in the recovery, revaluation and diffusion of knowledge that promote the preservation of their patrimony.

            We consider that conservation of the patrimony of earthen construction on both sides of the Mexico-United States Border is not the investigation of sophisticated technologies, but in great measure, is about the recuperation of knowledge that still lives in diverse traditional communities.

            To work at these sites, on the other hand, enriches the knowledge that exists in earthen architecture, and most of all, promotes the work of conservation as a mechanism for sustainable development by the communities’ inheritors of this tangible and intangible patrimony.

 

 

Personal Data 1

 

First Name:   Francisco

Last Name:    Uviña Contreras      

Profession: Architect

Institutional Affiliation: Cornerstones Community Partnerships

Country: U.S.A. City: Bernalillo N.M.

 

Phone: Tel: (505) 867-36 Fax: (505) 982-9521

 

E-mail: fuvina@cstones.org          

Address: 997 Calle Laguna, Bernalillo, NM, USA

Postal code: 87004

 

 

 

Personal Data 2

 

First Name:   Luis Fernando

Last Name:    Guerrero Baca          

Profession: Dr. Architect

Institutional Affiliation: Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana

Country: México City: México D.F.

 

Phone: (52) 555 56527731 Fax:

 

E-mail: luisfg1@prodigy.net.mx lfgbaca@cueyatl.uam.mx

 

Address: Grieta 165

Jardines del Pedregal

México D.F.

Postal code: 01900