Chapter 1
The Porfirian boom and the ship ballast mystery
Chapter 2
The alchemy of the trepa and the hydraulic press
Chapter 3
The great mosaiquera crisis and the modern revival
YOUR GOAL
Master of Walking on art with Mexico's historic cement tiles
Ch 3 · The great mosaiquera crisis and the modern revival
choko Vibrant geometric patterns decorate the sturdy cement tiles of a shared Mexican courtyard.
choko Mérida's historic home restorations revive traditional mosaicos de pasta floor tiles.
choko Brightly patterned cement tiles cover a historic vecindad courtyard in Mexico City.
choko Engineer Ignacio Durán Encalada saved one of Yucatán's last historic tile factories from closure.
BETA
choko Match colorful cement tiles to discover the history and modern stories of Mexico's famous floors.
Fun Fact
Eternal floor designs: Because the pigment layer is several millimeters thick, you can polish a worn tile to make it look brand new.
Glossary
mosaiquera (noun)
A workshop or factory that produces cement or hydraulic tiles. The rise of industrial ceramics in the late twentieth century forced many Mexican mosaiqueras to close.
A workshop or factory that produces cement or hydraulic tiles. The rise of industrial ceramics in the late twentieth century forced many Mexican mosaiqueras to close.
choko A global passion for historic preservation has sparked a massive comeback for cement tiles.
Quiz
Who is the owner of 'Mosaicos La Peninsular' who helped keep the craft alive in Mérida?
choko Cheap industrial manufacturing threatened traditional ceramic tile workshops in Mérida.
Quiz
How many active cement tile factories were left in Mérida after the 1990s economic crisis?
Quiz
In a traditional Mexican tile floor layout, what is the decorative border surrounding the main pattern called?
Quiz
How is the brilliant, saturated color of an old cement tile floor restored after years of wear?
Quiz
What is the visual effect of laying cement tiles together to form a large, continuous pattern across a room?