2024-12-22T05:18:13-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150091537/amid-the-smart-city-trend-santa-maria-tonantzintla-locals-in-mexico-fear-the-loss-of-their-cultural-traditions Justine Testado 2018-10-18T18:15:00-04:00 >2018-10-18T18:15:09-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/95/9520b9a491786301dc86212d202f252e.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>In Tonantzintla the smart cities proposal became a lightning rod for those concerned about a development that seemed to favour outsiders rather than residents...&ldquo;They are ashamed of their roots,&rdquo; [local resident Mercedes] Tecuapetla Quechol says. &ldquo;They saw something they liked in the United States or in Europe, so they want to put it here.&rdquo;</p></em><br /><br /><p>The Mexican town of Santa Maria Tonantzintla is caught in the all-too-familiar situation of preserving its centuries-old customs as newer smart-city technologies are being introduced.&nbsp;While city officials and planners argued that implementing new technology intends to benefit the community, locals saw this as an attempt to westernize their town and wipe out tradition.</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/116192544/bureau-a-s-swiss-alpine-cabin-lets-you-camp-out-inside-a-boulder Justine Testado 2014-12-17T14:49:00-05:00 >2014-12-18T19:17:42-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/j1/j1q3be5039usc5jg.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Up in the slopes of the Swiss village Verbier in the Alps, <a href="http://a-bureau.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BUREAU A</a>'s "Antoine" is a little wooden cabin hidden inside a concrete rock that camouflages with its environment. Inspired by Swiss cultural elements like the literature of iconic writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz, hidden bunkers, and the unique experience of living in an alpine landscape, "Antoine" looks like one comfy, cool space to get away from it all &mdash; with a hint of adventure.</p><p>BUREAU A provided more detail into their latest project:</p><p><img title="" alt="" src="http://cdn.archinect.net/images/514x/hd/hd3gcrk7s0kp0mf7.jpg"></p><p>"The mountains have the power to call for feelings of fascination and fear at the same time. Switzerland has a strong tradition of observing the Alps, living with them, hiding inside them. The awe and the anxiety that this monumental landscape appeals is reflected in the writings of Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz, one of the most important Swiss writers. His novels, Derborence, describes the massive rock fall that covered the pastures of the valley of Lizerne in 1714. Antoine, the main character, surv...</p>