As Latino students at UC Berkeley, what is our social responsibility with our community as future architects/ city planners?
Chicano/Latino architecture is a concept rarely discussed in classroom lectures or studios. It could be that the development of a Latino identity is relatively novel, or that we lack the representation to convey our power and influence as designers. This year, it is important to begin to respond this question, What does it mean to be a Latino architect?
By addressing this question, we must give credit to the contemporary ideas present in architecture. Acknowledging Teddy Cruz-- a professor at the University of California San Diego and architect responsible for housing projects in the US-Mexico border is understanding the values and issues that we face as designers.
Among the values of Latino architects, is the culture of over-seeing the interests of people in poverty and social decay. Seeing and envisioning habitats and living spaces in existing
suburbs to address the needs of people.
In the quest of developing an identity as Latino Architects, the ideas of the past are especially important to define our visions. Architects like Luis Barragan, Ricardo Legoreta, Victor Canas have developed styles based on traditional architectural styles, Catholiscm and Christianity, and reflection upon history to understand the natural landscapes and built forms.
This first entry in the Understaning Latino Architecture is the beginning of a series that will help us develop and understand an identity and set culture that comprises our designs and visions as future architects.
