Date of Submission
Spring 5-13-2026
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Architecture
Department
Architecture
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Ehsan Sheikholharam Mashhadi
Abstract
Anti-Gang Architecture: Youth Labor, & Spatial Agency in Mexico
In many parts of the world, teenagers face environments shaped by violence, drug abuse, and limited opportunity. The absence of inclusive communities deepens youth disconnection, leaving them vulnerable to harmful influences. This research explores how architectural qualities can create spaces that protect, inspire, and connect with Mexican youth, specifically in cities like Matamoros, Tamaulipas, where public space has lost its capacity to support safe youth development.
The central question guiding this research is: How can architecture create environments that inspire youth identity, develop creativity, and offer alternatives to violence and drug culture in Mexico? Drawing from Giancarlo Mazzanti’s work in Colombia and other Latin American precedents, this study examines site conditions, community dynamics, and programmatic experimentation. The result envisions a hybrid youth center integrating cultural activities, sports, and the arts, transforming unsafe areas into meaningful places of encounter, creativity, and civic pride. A phenomenological framework grounds design decisions in sensory experience and social typology.
As Mazzanti argues, architecture used as an active social tool can unite and empower communities by fostering creativity, safety, and belonging. This “Third Space” proposal develops opportunities through architecture, cultivates local talent, and reveals the brilliance hidden within underserved communities. The anticipated outcome is a design framework for a youth-centered community hub in Matamoros, a model demonstrating how architecture can reconstruct social identity and oppose violence.