Perhaps the aphorism that holds the greatest truth in both architecture and other areas of life is the following: “those who know the past can control their future.” This is reflected in architecture schools, where texts and works of traditional Mexican architecture are still taught, though 20th and 21st-century architecture is featured in a much greater proportion. Yet, an analysis of current architectural production suggests that recent graduates and professionals are unfamiliar with their own history. This is problematic as our identity, expressed through the architecture of our cities, is fading. At least, this is the view of the founders of the new multidisciplinary association “INTBAU México.”
Coincidentally, on the very day Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom passed away, a group of urban planners, architects, restorers, lawyers, and academics gathered with the purpose of supporting the creation of better places to live through traditional construction, architecture, and urbanism. Today, the architecture of Mexican cities reflects international trends. Open to the globalization of ideas and building techniques, our towns and cities are increasingly losing the characteristic elements that, besides shaping their identity, offered sustainable constructive and urban solutions. These include the use of natural, local, and renewable materials, as well as pedestrian transit, mixed land use, and a relatively compact urban fabric.
