The institutionalization of the architectural practice has caused a linear life cycle that relies on the efficiency of mass standardized products, not only exacerbating ecological effects but also breeding mediocrity in architecture. An epistemic break from the creative and tangible process of craftsmanship, which has been marginalized as practice of the past. The aforementioned restrictive qualities of the practice have spurred the emergence of new counter ideologies in repair and reuse, which embrace the heterogeneity inherent in wear. The context of Madrid provides an opportunity to explore the idea of crafting wear, beginning with empowering an network of traditional crafters and extending to overlooked actors in material aging, enriching discourse and exchange of material knowledge towards a more mature attitude in hybrid design. The transformative impact of embracing wear in the urban fabric can cultivate a communal sensitivity towards architectural expression of material aging. In adopting a hybrid expression of wear, from the craftsman to the public, interweaving various knowledge domains carving a niche in the practice of architecture, that develops into a thriving network of skilled crafters in material wear.

This thesis examines how and why the ethnic enclave of San Francisco’s (SF) Chinatown persisted to this day, despite continuous forces of urban shrinkage and gentrification in the past decade, that has seen other Chinatowns in the United States gradually disappear. The rich history of SF Chinatown battling a diversity of forces intruding on its survivability, has transformed and acclimatized the neighborhood to have social, political and economic mechanisms to adapt and mutate to an ever-changing ethnic urban landscape. A chronological approach has been applied to highlight major events within SF Chinatown’s history that reveal significant factors and mechanisms that amalgamate in the neighborhood’s current urban resilience. The story begins with colonial expansion that attracted many Chinese laborers to America, where increasing racial hostility forced Chinese immigrants into ethnic enclaves like SF Chinatown in 1850. The development of district Associations created a cohesive and self-sufficient community that protected itself from continued racial hostility. The 1906 earthquake and fire, built a foundation of oriental tourism that solidified Chinatowns permanence, creating a mutually beneficial relationship with the hegemonic white society. Increased urban redevelopment of the financial district during the 1960s, inspired civil rights movements that mobilized and empowered the Chinese American population to renegotiate their rights. The aforementioned historically rooted mechanisms accompanied with new community initiatives, enables SF Chinatown to continuously adapt and mutate to internal and external forces of change, which has and will continue to cement its place in the heart of the city.