V2I8P9

Rescue and Reinnovation of Bahareque in Tampico Alto and Pueblo Viejo, Veracruz, as a Paradigm of Housing Resilience

Zoé Madai Cruz-Purata^1*, María Gema Mora-Luna¹, Alejandra Gonzalez-Viveros¹, Rocío Rafaela Gallegos-Villela¹, Edgardo J. Suárez-Domínguez¹

Abstract

This research explores the resilience and relevance of vernacular housing in Mexico, with a particular focus on land typologies such as bahareque and adobe. The study focused on the rural area and ejidos of Tampico Alto and Pueblo Viejo, Veracruz, immersed in the Huasteca region. Using a mixed approach, an exhaustive review of recent scientific literature (2020-2025) was combined with a detailed analysis of the construction systems and bioclimatic strategies inherent to these traditional buildings. The results confirmed the intrinsic capacity of bahareque and adobe to offer thermal comfort and structural stability, validating their role as sustainable models in the face of the current climate crisis. The diversity of housing solutions in pre-Hispanic cultures and the continuity of adaptive patterns in the Huasteca dwelling, characterized by its bahareque walls and perimeter corridors, were documented (Aguillón-Robles et al. 2020). As a central part of the study, an architectural proposal for a two-level house was formulated that reinterprets Huasteca aesthetics and construction techniques. This proposal incorporates bahareque walls, a wooden mezzanine and a continuous hipped ribbed sheet roof, which extends to create a wide corridor with social areas. The integration of elements such as wooden windows with traditional design and regional furniture illustrates the feasibility of adapting vernacular wisdom to contemporary housing needs. The discussion underscores how this proposal not only revitalizes ancestral techniques but also offers a path to a more equitable and environmentally responsible architecture.

Keywords:

Vernacular housing, Huasteca architecture, Earth construction, Traditional typologies