Values, Principles, and Context in Contemporary Mexican Architecture

Abstract

This article analyzes the relationship between values, principles, and context in contemporary Mexican architecture. It argues that globalization and technological progress have led to a loss of humanistic references and a trend toward decontextualized architectural production. Using categories such as sense of place, sustainability, user connection, spatial functionality, traditional knowledge, identity, and aesthetic criteria, the study examines four Mexican projects: the María Montessori School in Mazatlán, the Shelter for Women Victims of Violence in Uruapan, the Teletón Children’s Rehabilitation Center in Tamaulipas, and the School of Visual Arts in Oaxaca. These cases demonstrate that contextual integration and the use of local materials can foster an ethical and aesthetic architecture that responds to its environment. The article concludes that, despite the homogenizing effects of globalization, it remains possible to create architecture with cultural identity, social commitment, and respect for place.