Teddy Curz’s proposed system that engages the Tijuana and San Diego borders puts the architect, in this case Cruz, in a unique position. This begins with the question of what an architect does. The classic idea of an architect is that the architect designs space, generally a building, and then the occupant inhabit that space. Cruz on the other rethinks how the architect is involved. The architect does not create space. The architect does not deign the structure. The architect makes a system.

This system is unique in that the architect hands over the process of design to the inhabitants. The idea essentially removes the architect from the process of design. By creating a system where the architect has provided the inhabits with a frame (literally and figuratively), the architects hands over ownership of the project to the inhabitant. In an overly physically sense the architect is the frame while the inhabitants are the infill. This is saying that Cruz is behind the framing system while the inhabitant is behind how the dwelling fills in the frame. The reused and repurposed tires, garage doors, pallets and scaffolding  from San Diego become the tools of decisions and agency of the inhabitant.

This transfer and separation of ownership becomes an extremely contextualized proposition. This system is unique in that it does not attempt to create a new system for the people in ever changing settlements. These settlements have the reputation of being self built and created with whatever means available. The new system does not changes that. It simply creates an interface to expand on that concept. Essentially this system has not created a massive change or upheaval but instead it creates a new tool for the inhabitants to use.

This same idea can be applied to the social side of the architecture. By giving the inhabitants a frame to fill as their own the architect is giving the inhabitants a social frame to fill as their own as well. This is in how the frame becomes the icon. The frame as the enabling tool now becomes the common between all the people. The frame is custom pre-fab. As oxymoronic as that sounds its becomes a reality. The frame is so contextualized and so customized for these settlement just south of the Tijuana and San Diego border that it can become an icon. It is the only building material in the people kit of parts that is not a second hand repurposed left over over San Diego. It did not travel across the border, passing through customs.  It was meant for south of the border and becomes part of south of the border. It’s adds to the community and gives the community an identity but it does not directly change the community. To the inhabitants its simply another material to work with, but it is their material to use.

This can be a result of how the architect has removed themselves from the picture. Their intervention is so minimal that it avoids change but so contextualized that it’s created an icon and potentially custom identity.