Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-124). / The colonia popular is one of the most typical types of settlement used in Mexico City, and with some variations in other Latin American cities. Fifty per cent of the urban land in Mexico City is occupied by this type of dwelling. The purpose of this study is to develop a method to detect and measure the physical changes over time of a group of dwelling units in a colonia popular. A group of 20 dwelling units has been selected randomly in three blocks of a colonia popular. Each dwelling unit has been recorded on maps showing two physical changes that have taken place over time. The changes that we recorded were those that took place at morpholgical and functional views. A comparison of these changes will help to suggest patterns of future growth. Since we feel that these physical changes are an expression of social economic, and political changes experienced by the house holders we consider this study to be a preliminary step in a project which would relate changes in dwellings to larger social forces. / by Jorge Andrade-Narvaez. / M.Arch.