Ephemeral habitability: Public space as a refuge from disasters in Mexico City

Authors

  • Milton Montejano-Castillo Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Arquitectura Unidad Tecamachalco del Instituto Politécnico Nacional https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5804-2364
  • Mildred Moreno-Villanueva, Dra. Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Arquitectura Unidad Tecamachalco del Instituto Politécnico Nacional http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5835-8572

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22320/07196466.2020.38.057.05

Keywords:

public space, disasters, urban management, ephemeral architecture, construction for emergencies

Abstract

In the collective imaginary, the concept of habitability has been conceived mainly as a fixed and permanent feature of a built space. However, in cities with disaster risks, certain emerging conditions have required that spaces -in principle undeveloped- should suddenly become habitable spaces in their broadest sense, such as the use of public spaces as a shelter during emergencies and disaster recovery. This condition has given rise, spontaneously or in a planned way, to the construction of an ephemeral habitability in the public space. However, in the road to achieve that condition, there are many diverse factors ranging from actions to prevent the disappearance of public spaces due to privatization, to a good coordination of programs to achieve that habitability. This article analyzes as many of those factors as possible, based on an analysis of strengths, opportunities and threats for the case of Mexico City. The results indicate that in the face of a constant threat of privatization of public space, the habitability of these spaces has been promoted through programs and different instruments, but in a scattered way and without continuity over time. On the other hand, despite the weaknesses and threats detected, strengths and opportunities are identified that can serve as a basis for formulating strategies to make public spaces more habitable during a post-disaster situation, for one of that country’s highest populated disaster exposed cities.

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Author Biographies

Milton Montejano-Castillo, Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Arquitectura Unidad Tecamachalco del Instituto Politécnico Nacional

Doctor in Urbanism by the University of Stuttgart, Germany. Master in Urbanism by the UNAM and Architect by the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí. Since 2009 he has been a professor and researcher at the Postgraduate Studies Section and Investigation of the Higher School of Engineering and Architecture of the National Polytechnic Institute, Tecamachalco Unit, in the Master's and Doctorate Program in Science and Architecture in Urbanism, where he worked as Academic Coordinator from 2010 to 2018. Their research projects focus mainly on the urban form study in the framework of disaster risk reduction. He is the author and co-author of several chapters of books and articles on architecture and urbanism, and has participated in several national and international academic forums. Es miembro del CONACYT National Researchers System (SNI-I).

mmontejanoc@ipn.mx

Mildred Moreno-Villanueva, Dra., Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Arquitectura Unidad Tecamachalco del Instituto Politécnico Nacional

Doctor of Science in Architecture and Urbanism and Master of Science in Architecture from the National Polytechnic Institute. Architect Engineer by the same institution. He has participated in various research projects such as: "Resilience and urban transformation"; "Public space and reconstruction" or "The vertical expansion of Mexico City", among others; He has taught Masters courses related to the city and public space, and has several national and international publications on topics such as: "The quality of public space in Mexico, current status and trends"; “Public space as the protagonist of the city”; "Gentrification, public space and habitability"; “The construction of the patrimonial public space” or “Mexico City after September 2017”. He is a member of the National Research System.

mmorenov@ipn.mx

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Published

2020-01-30

How to Cite

Montejano-Castillo, M., & Moreno-Villanueva, M. (2020). Ephemeral habitability: Public space as a refuge from disasters in Mexico City. ARQUITECTURAS DEL SUR, 38(57), 90–107. https://doi.org/10.22320/07196466.2020.38.057.05

Issue

V.38, N.57 (January 2020): EPHEMERAL

Section

Article

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