Current discussions of ruination in architecture have centered on a structure’s idealized Western definition of value. This thesis, which was developed within the context of UC Berkley, looks into the continuous ruination within cities, aspects of structures amassing from manual and natural decay. Ruins can be utilized as a lens that expands the current scope of architecture, underlining the informal changes while enabling disparate activity. Sites like the one investigated in Juarez, Mexico show the vibrancy of urban ruins, places full of opportunity and local participation. Sustenance of these spaces begins by forming a cohesive approach that allows dissolution, a way of incorporating the importance of evolution within culture.