Modern translation of Franciscan order principles: workshop school of Calpan

Abstract

This paper will explore examples of former monasteries as clear case studies of adaptive reuse. Together with the case studies, the architectural fundamentals of Luis Barragán and the characteristics of vernacular techniques and materials were analyzed to be efficiently applied to the adaptive reuse project for the Franciscan monastery of San Andrés Calpan located in the state of Puebla, Mexico. Even though the XVI century monastery played an important role in Mexican history, nowadays, after several different uses and internal reconfigurations, it has faced years of underuse attesting to an undeniable decay. This project aspires to reactivate the monastery as the social nucleus of the community, by recovering its historical and cultural heritage and introducing a program which aims to provide training on traditional skills and thereby offering a way out of the vicious cycle of lacking opportunities. The study is elaborated as a thesis project for the international master's degree in architecture focused on adaptive reuse at Hasselt University in Hasselt, Belgium, with the advice of Prof. ir. arch. Nikolaas Vande Keere and Dra. arch. Karen Lens.