In the vast Sonoran Desert of Southern Arizona is a rich architectural heritage spanning over 5000 years and three cultures, Native American, Spanish Colonial/Mexican, and American. Only in the last 150 years of this region’s history has there been a political boundary that distinguishes the cultural and architectural traditions between what is now Mexico and the United States. This history has created a cross-cultural vernacular landscape unique to this region representing a spectrum of architectural vocabulary ranging from Spanish Colonial and American typological and stylistic purity to hybrid expressions of every imaginable combination.

This conference will present the variety of vernacular typologies associated with the broad spectrum of cultural themes: