Affordable Housing: A Case for Mexico City

Abstract

Mexico City is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with a 2000km2 and 22 million people. Due to its globalized economy and dynamic growth, the city offers better life opportunities, encouraging massive migrations from rural areas to the city. Hence, the need for more housing. A rapid result for housing demands has generated the growth of squatter areas as well as massive social housing complexes at the peripheries of the city. The city needs a reinterpretation of affordable housing typologies that address the housing demands of the underprivileged and impede the expansion of the city by utilizing the existing infrastructure into the central area. This thesis will focus on designing an affordable housing project that would relocate low income people in order to provide them appropriate services and infrastructure, thus integrating them to the city life through community spaces utilizing a language of design that reflect the construction techniques of the Mexican culture.