Influence of New Materials in the Transformation of Traditional Home Building Technology in Michoacán, Mexico

This paper presents the actual situation of the traditional building technology, specially the transformation of the traditional house in areas with a large indigenous “tarascan” presence in Michoacán.The principal problem that has been detected is the negative cultural effect in the preservation of this cultural heritage, mainly because this kind of technology is transmitted from parents to sons. And this new generation is actually influenced by the United States architecture, as a product of the migrant culture.In addition, the money that the migrant workers send back to their Mexican families, allow them to use the newest building materials available, without even considering using the traditional technology, which has proved among years, to be the most adequate in terms of climate comfort.Basically, this study presents the transformation of the traditional building technology (earth and wood) by the influence of new building materials (steel and concrete).