Solving Pollution Through Design Integration: A Sustainable Model for Underdeveloped Mexican Cities

<p>Oaxaca requires an architecture that can cleanse the environment, provide affordable and clean energy, and mitigate the crime and poverty within their city. Community awareness is key to the development of this architecture, and this project will focus on creating a design that influences and informs the community about a safer and more sustainable way of life. This project will focus on using the United Nations sustainability goals to address the global challenges we face including poverty, climate, and inequality. This thesis will create a building that will integrate these goals while still maintaining the cultural aspect within the region. Where even the most impoverished states can achieve sustainable efforts for the future. My thesis is situated in Miahuatlan, Mexico. It is one of the most impoverished states in Mexico that lacks some of the most basic human needs and has a poverty rate of 65%.</p> <p>This thesis will tackle Oaxaca’s major concerns including poverty, pollution, access to clean and renewable energy, and the lack of resources to design long term solutions. It will also create an architecture that is focused on the prosperity of the community and educating the youth on climate change to put them on a sustainable path early on in their lives. This sustainable model will set an example to surrounding cities that even with limited resources a building can be designed to enhance energy production, community learning, and improve the way of life of even the most unfortunate individuals in any developing city. Through a pedagogical approach, this project will incorporate sustainable systems within the building that will be visible to the community. This will enhance their knowledge of how sustainability systems work, and what pollution can do the environment. It will also incorporate classrooms and workshops where the community can interact and learn about sustainable systems and what it means to create a greener planet. I believe that communal spaces are needed to create safer environments, so designing a marketplace that strengthens community interaction and keeps children away from the increasing crime within Mexican cities is essential for the development of this sustainable model. The implementations of all these systems and goals into one project strives to create a better future for the less fortunate cities on our planet. The path to a net-zero and sustainable future mainly targets highly developed and wealthier cities, but I disagree. I believe that even underdeveloped cities should also be incorporated into this path of creating a greener and safer environment. The goal of this project is to leave no one behind in a world full of pollution and poverty.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Architecture

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Architecture

Year

2020

Author dc:creator

• Cruz, Marcos

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ermal Shpuza

• Sustainablity
• water
• integration
• mexico
• community
• Architecture

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/msarch_etd/2

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu:msarch_etd-1004