Informal Architecture: A Walker Exhibit

Abraham Cruzvillegas: The Autoconstrucción Suites

The Walker Art Center

Exhibition view Abraham Cruzvillegas: The Autoconstrucción Suites The Walker Art Center 2013

There is currently an exhibition at the Walker Art Center that we find particularly fascinating as architects and builders.  It showcases informal architecture, specifically that on the outskirts of Mexico City, where the artist, Abraham Cruzvillegas, spent his childhood. 

In these areas, the inhabitants slowly and informally constructed their homes. Informally in the sense that there are no designs, no plans, no structural engineers, no plumbers, no electricians, no carpenters. The home owner, with the help of family and friends,  slowly constructs their own space over many years as materials become available.

The artist refers to this as Autoconstrucción, or 'self constructions'.  The families of this community used what they could find to construct, as they do not have the financial means to buy typical construction materials.  The foundations were built from volcanic rock found around the city, and above that, many found materials, most that had been created for a completely different purpose, and had once been disposed of, along with a mix of concrete, wood, and re bar.  Cruzvillegas addresses the process and content of this informal construction through his art, but also addresses the current political dilemma, as they now fight to keep the homes and communities they built themselves.

This brings us back to each of our definitions of 'home'.  These people's homes are built over decades, on land they did not own, as they found objects and building materials, creating the most intriguing juxtapositions, and they are never completely finished, always allowing for the next step.  

The ingenuity, passion, and ambition of people when creating their personal space is never lost on us.  It is always appreciated, no matter if it is here - adhering to building codes, utilizing architects, plumbers, electricians, traditional building materials, and the expertise of carpenters - or whether it is there..

Abraham Cruzvillegas: The Autoconstrucción Suites will be on exhibit in the Walker through September 22nd.  For more details check out the site.