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[Workshop] Participatory self-built housing workshops by the Autonomous University of Baja California

In the peri-urban neighborhoods of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, marked by limited resources, precarious housing and restricted access to basic services, participatory self-built housing workshops have emerged as an innovative and comprehensive strategy to face habitat challenges.

This approach combines technical training with community empowerment processes, enabling residents themselves to take an active role in designing and building their own homes. Far from a welfare-based model, the initiative fosters self-management through a collaborative framework that weaves together technical knowledge, local wisdom, and community practices. The workshops are conceived as horizontal spaces for learning and exchange between specialists and residents, where building know-how is shared, practical skills are strengthened, and the use of technologies appropriate to the climatic, economic, and cultural context is encouraged.

This approach makes it possible to adapt solutions to the specific conditions of each neighborhood, responding to their needs regarding accessibility, location, and cultural suitability.

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OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
CRAterre (September 26, 2025). [Workshop] Participatory self-built housing workshops by the Autonomous University of Baja California. The UNESCO Chair. Retrieved March 7, 2026 from https://doi.org/10.58079/14rae