JANUARY 2025
More Than Building Universities,
We Are Transforming Communities
I am Leonardo Neve, the architect responsible for the architectural design of the Universities for Well-Being Benito Juárez García (UBBJG) program. From the very beginning, I understood that this project was not just about constructing buildings. This program is, without a doubt, the largest educational community self-construction initiative in the world, a model that has proven how architecture—when designed with communities, not just for them—can become a true catalyst for social transformation.
Since 2018, we have built 202 university campuses across Mexico, with over 62,775 students enrolled.
But the most impressive aspect is not just the numbers—it’s the process: each of these universities has been built with the active participation of the local communities, who have played a fundamental role in their design, construction, and appropriation.
This program has not only provided access to higher education in places where it was once unimaginable, but it has also established a replicable architectural and social model, proving that community self-construction is a viable and effective strategy for addressing educational infrastructure challenges in vulnerable regions.
The Challenge of Building Nationwide: A Flexible and Adaptable Model
One of the biggest challenges was finding an architectural model that could be replicated across the country without imposing a single, rigid design. Mexico is an incredibly diverse country—what works in the tropical southeast is not viable in the arid north, and what is suitable for a mountainous region does not fit in a valley.
Instead of designing a one-size-fits-all prototype, we developed a methodology based on flexible principles:
Bioclimatic design tailored to each region
Considering building orientation, prevailing winds, and available local resources
Use of regional materials
Such as adobe, brick, bamboo, or wood, which not only reduce costs and construction time but also strengthen local identity and generate employment.
Participatory construction systems
Where the community is involved from planning to execution, fostering a sense of ownership and belonging.
The program’s success lies in its adaptability. Each campus responds to its environmental conditions and community needs, proving that quality architecture can be achieved without relying on industrialized models disconnected from local realities.
Modules for dry climates
Modules for tropical climates
Modules for temperate climates
Community Self-Construction as a Tool for Transformation
At the core of this project is community self-construction. It is not just about building universities; it is about empowering communities through the act of building. In each location, the local people have been the protagonists—working on the construction, making decisions about materials and spaces, and witnessing how their own efforts materialize into an infrastructure that will change their children’s future.
This process not only creates jobs and strengthens the local economy, but it also transforms how people perceive architecture and public space. In many communities, this is the first large-scale infrastructure project they have actively participated in, changing their perspective on their environment and their ability to improve it.
I vividly remember a conversation with a local worker at one of the sites. As we finished construction, he told me: “I never imagined that I would be able to build a university for my children.” That is the real impact of this program—it does not just offer education, it builds confidence, strengthens social ties, and fosters a sense of collective responsibility.
A Model That Can Be Replicated Anywhere in the World
The true success of this program is that it has not only worked in Mexico, but it has also set a precedent that could be applied in any country facing barriers to higher education.
The Universities for Well-Being model has demonstrated that it is possible to build high-quality educational infrastructure with low cost, high efficiency, and profound social impact. It has been a laboratory for architectural innovation, blending traditional building techniques with contemporary sustainability strategies.
Any country facing similar challenges can adapt this model by implementing:
- Community-led self-construction systems
- Flexible design adapted to local environments and cultures
- Use of regional materials and techniques to reduce costs and construction time
- Infrastructure that serves not only as a school but also as a community hub
This project has taught us that architecture should not impose solutions from a distance—it must be designed with and for the people. The impact of these universities extends far beyond education; they are redefining how communities interact with their surroundings, participate in development, and take ownership of public spaces.
The Future of Social Architecture
The Universities for Well-Being program is, without a doubt, the largest educational community self-construction project in the world. But its greatest achievement is not just its scale—it is the way it has transformed the lives of thousands of people.
This model has proven that architecture can be a tool for reducing social inequalities, creating jobs, strengthening identities, and building a more equitable future. As an architect, this project has reinforced my belief that our role goes beyond designing buildings—it is about listening, understanding, and facilitating processes where communities become the true architects of their own development.
We have built more than just universities. We have built opportunities, we have built communities, we have built dignity. And the best part is that this model will continue to be replicated, bringing education and transformation to every corner where it is needed.
Because architecture, when done with purpose and people at its core, doesn’t just construct buildings. It builds the future.
