“TICRAT” International Workshops: 26 Years Disseminating Sustainable Traditional Techniques for the Conservation of Earthen Architecture

Abstract

The building traditions of the Southwest United States and Northern Mexico have been successfully passed on from generation to generation, but have recently been threatened by the development of new, modern materials and technologies, as well as an undervaluing of traditional earthen building materials and a loss of knowledge in the use of these historic techniques. The Taller Internacional de Conservación y Restauración de Arquitectura de Tierra (TICRAT) was created to disseminate these techniques, mainly lime and adobe, and at least slow down the ongoing loss of knowledge. This international workshop gave rise to a collective participatory program promoting practical and theoretical knowledge on the best techniques to be applied both in modest vernacular and larger restoration projects. These workshops soon spread to many rural communities and urban centers in this region.