How to Preserve a (still) Alive Cultural Heritage. Chinampas in Mexico City Miriam Samir Rincon

In this podcast with Miriam Samir Rincón, it is about the preservation of the cultural heritage of the Chinampas system in Mexico City. The Chinampas belong to UNESCO Cultural Heritage and are a unique blend of ecological and cultural sustainability from Aztec times onwards. Now, this unique life space is endangered by urban sprawl, corrupted policies, pollution, and tourism. 

Miriam, holding a prize-awarded degree in architecture from University of Notre Dame, is an architect, urban designer, and heritage advocate whose work explores the intersection of culture, ecology, and the built environment. Her research focuses on the restoration of living cultural landscapes, particularly the chinampa system of Xochimilco, examining how traditional knowledge and ecological systems can inform the future of cities.

Her work has earned international recognition, including the Urban Guild Award, and the Hereditas Urbium Prize. Her work has been featured in The Art of the New Urbanism, published by the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU). She served as Director of Projects at INTBAU Mexico, where she led heritage-led design and educational initiatives. Miriam is currently an Urban Designer at Moule & Polyzoides, internationally recognized pioneers and advocates of traditional architecture, urbanism, and place-based community design.