FROM VERNACULAR TO TOURIST: TRANSFIGURATION OF TRADITIONAL HOUSING ON THE COSTA CHICA OF GUERRERO IN THE FACE OF THE RISE OF RESIDENTIAL TOURIST HOUSING CASE STUDY: VENTURA BEACH, COPALA, GUERRERO

Abstract

Traditional housing on Guerrero's Costa Chica constitutes a tangible expression of the region's cultural identity and community way of life. Built with local materials such as palm, adobe, and wood, these houses have historically reflected adaptation to the coastal environment and the transmission of inherited construction knowledge. However, the rise of digital platform accommodation—led by Airbnb—has generated a hospitality demand that transforms vernacular housing into an asset within the global tourism market. This digital intermediation catalyzes a process of architectural transfiguration observable in communities such as Playa Ventura (Copala, Guerrero), manifested in the conversion of palm and adobe houses into tourist lodgings with modern bathrooms, air conditioning, and internet access, permanently listed on digital platforms. This paper examines this phenomenon from a theoretical and methodological perspective, identifying the typologies of transformation— material substitution, spatial subdivision, and expansion—and their implications for regional architecture, cultural identity, and sustainability. While platform accommodation represents economic opportunities for local communities, it also poses risks of loss of authenticity and cultural vacuum that demand management strategies balancing the preservation of vernacular heritage with its orderly integration into the digital tourism market.