Thesis title: Le missioni gesuite in Bassa California: il caso della Missione di San Francisco Javier Viggé Biaundó.
The thesis analyzes the architecture of the Jesuit missions in Lower California, focusing on the mission of San Francisco Javier Viggé Biaundó (1744–1757), considered the most accomplished expression of the Ignatian experience in the region. Through archival sources, metric surveys, and the use of Roman foot grids for the analysis of plans, the research identifies generative modules in accordance with contemporary treatises and shows how the Latin-cross plan of San Javier constitutes a typological model replicated in other missions. The peninsula emerges as an experimental laboratory of architecture, where constructive, settlement, and functional models are adapted to local conditions. The study highlights construction phases, typological coherence, and recurring schemes, such as the triadic system church–mission house–cemetery, closely connected to the distributive solutions typical of the Ignatian order. It also emphasizes the use of Renaissance aulic proportions, such as the sesquialtera, in the church elevations. The Marian façade and the central role of the church in the life of the pueblo integrate symbolic, catechetical, and communal dimensions, offering a critical reading of a coherent and original missionary system capable of combining the circulation of knowledge with adaptation to local conditions.