Category: South America

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Delcy Morelos

 

Delcy Morelos, born in 1967 in Tierra Alta, Córdoba, Colombia, studied Fine Arts at the National University of Colombia. The natural landscapes of her homeland and Colombia’s complex sociopolitical context profoundly influenced her perspective, inspiring her to explore themes of land, Indigenous identity, and colonialism. She began her career as a painter, using earthy tones and organic imagery that reflected her connection to these themes. However, she soon found that traditional painting could not fully capture the depth she wished to convey and began to experiment with materials that held cultural and environmental significance.

Delcy Morelos. The Earth Room (2022)

This shift to natural, unprocessed materials was transformative for her career. Morelos started working with soil, clay, coffee grounds, and organic pigments, which allowed her to create a tangible connection between viewers and the themes she addressed. Soil, in particular, became foundational in her installations, symbolizing cycles of life, death, and rebirth, while also grounding her art in the physical experience of the land. Her use of soil reached a powerful expression in “The Earth Room”, presented at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022, where she covered the floor with rich, reddish-brown earth. This installation transformed the gallery into a sensory environment that invited viewers to reconnect with the earth on both a physical and emotional level.

“Every piece of soil tells a story; it holds the memories of those who came before us. My work seeks to uncover and honor these narratives.”

Delcy Morelos. No es un río, es una madre (2014)

To enhance the sensory experience, Morelos incorporated materials like coffee grounds and cinnamon, which connect her work to Colombian culture and agriculture. Coffee grounds reference Colombia’s agricultural identity, carrying with them the history of labor and the livelihoods tied to coffee production. This material choice subtly critiques the complex and often exploitative aspects of global trade.

Similarly, clay connects her work to ancient Indigenous craftsmanship, symbolizing the resilience and continuity of culture. The natural pigments and ochres she uses link her work to traditional art forms and the timeless colors of the earth, situating her within a lineage of creators who drew directly from nature.

Delcy Morelos. The color of earth (2021)

 

References:

Behringer, D. (2024, January 23). Delcy Morelos Conjures a Sacred Experience With Soil. Design Milk. Retrieved October 29, 2024, from https://design-milk.com/delcy-morelos-conjures-a-sacred-experience-with-soil/

González, J. S. (2023, May 25). Delcy Morelos: trabajando con la tierra para liberar el alma | Magazine. MoMA. Retrieved October 29, 2024, from https://www.moma.org/magazine/articles/902

Goodman, M. (n.d.). Delcy Morelos | Marian Goodman. Marian Goodman Gallery. Retrieved October 29, 2024, from https://www.mariangoodman.com/artists/394-delcy-morelos/

Hansen, M. (n.d.). Biennale Arte 2022 | Delcy Morelos. La Biennale di Venezia. Retrieved October 29, 2024, from https://www.labiennale.org/en/art/2022/milk-dreams/delcy-morelos

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Bahareque (alternatively spelled bareque, also known as quincha)

Casa de pau a pique, or a bahareque house in Brazil.

Bahareque is the Spanish name for what is known in English as wattle and daub, a method of building where wet loam is applied to an interwoven mesh of twigs, branches, bamboo, etc. Specifically, bahareque (also known as quincha) is a subset of the thrown loam technique, where the wet loam is applied by hand onto the organic skeleton. The loam of earth (a combination of clay, silt, and soil) and aggregate, usually straw. Bahareque describes a wide range of building techniques and types, and can be separated out into various local traditions across South America.

Traditional bahareque wall.

Originally combined with palm frond roofs, bahareque was often topped with tiled roofs after European colonization. It can be used in combination with other earthen architecture technologies, as seen in the image below.

Solar do Major Novaes, constructed with adobe on the lower floor and wattle and daub on the upper floor.

Bahareque is currently being explored as a low-cost housing typology. There are questions as to how well it can withstand seismic activity, but it is often proposed as a housing solution for earthquake stricken regions. Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Brazil have all introduced engineered bahareque (or cement bahareque) following devastating earthquakes.

In Ecuador, where the matrix and frame for bahareque architecture is made of guadua bamboo, one of the strongest bamboo subspecies, there is promising contemporary research proving that bahareque is superior to masonry architecture both for earthquake safety and from a sustainability standpoint.

Bahareque houses designed by ARUP and REDES, before the plaster is applied to the bamboo matrix.
Construction documents of bahareque houses designed by ARUP.

References:

[1] http://www.crockerltd.net/adobe_big_one.htm

[2] https://www.seismico.org/bahareque

[3] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282701710_Engineered_bamboo_houses_for_low-income_communities_in_Latin_America

[4] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311583390_Design_Guide_for_Engineered_Bahareque_Housing/download

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Marcelo Cortes: Quincha and Teknobarro

Image Source: Marcelo Cortés

Chilean architect Marcelo Cortés is known for his construction technique called quincha metálica, that combines a steel frame and welded wire mesh with a mud mixture Cortés calls tecno-barro.

Image Source: No Tech Magazine

This construction method reimagines the wattle and daub building method known as quincha, a traditional technology that has existed in South America for at least 8,000 years.

Traditionally, a quincha structure is constructed by creating a framework, or wattle, of interwoven pieces of wood, cane, or bamboo. This matrix of vertical and horizontal members is then covered on both sides with a mixture of mud and straw, or daub, and finished with a thin lime plaster to create a weathertight building envelope in the form of wall or ceiling panels. The system results in a lightweight flexible structure that is inherently earthquake resistant.

Image Source: Marcelo Cortés

Cortés was inspired by the way that historic homes in the center of Santiago were constructed, which used metal wire to hold mud bricks within a wooden frame in place during earthquakes.

Image Source: Marcelo Cortés

In Cortés’s construction process, a framework of steel and welded wire mesh are erected into a framework and the steel is coated with an asphalt emulsion to prevent corrosion. He then applies a mud mixture he refers to as tecno-barro, that is stabilized with lime to reduce the volumetric expansion of clay and increase water impermeability. This technique allows him to create volumetric forms that have not been historically found in earthen construction

One example of the quincha metálica and tecno-barro technique can be found in the Peñalolén House, on the outskirts of Santiago, in a place called Peñalolén, Chile.

The Peñalolén House is a private residence that reinterprets traditional Chilean central valley architecture. It is approximately 1,075 square feet and designed to blend in with the environment and maximize the views of the Andes Mountains.

The home has canted walls to protect against solar gain and wind-driven rain. Its steel frame provides flexibility and earthquake resistance, while the thin mud skin remains lightweight.

This is one of many examples Cortés has been able to produce using this construction method.

Image Source: Marcelo Cortés
Image Source: Marcelo Cortés
Image Source: Marcelo Cortés

Marcelo Cortés is a renowned Chilean architect, constructor, and earth researcher. He graduated from the University of Chile and has since become a pioneering figure in contemporary earth architecture. Cortes holds the UNESCO Chair in earth architecture, constructive cultures, and sustainable habitat, reflecting his expertise and contributions to the field.

His innovative work in earthquake-resistant earth construction techniques has earned him international recognition. In 2016, Cortes received a tribute at TerraWorld as a world pioneer of contemporary earth architecture. The College of Architects of Chile awarded him the Fermín Vivaceta Rupio Award for his technological applications in architecture.

Cortes is also the founder of the ARCOT Network, which unites nine public and regional universities in Chile to establish an earth architecture chair. His research and practical innovations in reinforced earth techniques for seismic regions have been the subject of a doctoral thesis by Favio Gatti at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, completed in 2023.

Citations

  1. Rael, Ron. Earth Architecture. Princeton Architectural Press, 2006.
  2. “Quincha.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincha.
  3. “Marcelo Cortés arquitecto. El desafío sísmico de las técnicas con tierra armada.” UPC Commons, https://upcommons.upc.edu/handle/2117/404662?show=full.
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SIACOT Chile 2013

El 13° Seminario Iberoamericano de Arquitectura y Construcción con Tierra (SIACOT) Valparaíso 2013, promovido por la Red Iberoamericana PROTERRA y organizado por el instituto profesional Duoc UC de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile a través de su carrera de Restauración Patrimonial, tiene como finalidad reunir a los científicos, profesionales y técnicos que trabajan en torno al tema de la arquitectura, conservación y construcción con tierra, interesados por los amplios potenciales de este material. Se trata de una oportunidad de difusión y discusión, donde se evaluarán el estado actual de la investigación científica, de los proyectos, e innovaciones tecnológicas en marcha, así como los avances globales de la difusión de esta temática.

www.siacotchile2013.cl

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Building Local


Building Local is a design-build studio that will explore and discuss the aesthetic, assembly and tectonic qualities of local materials: earth, stone, fique, bamboo and wood, engaging students in a series of workshops that will culminate in the design and construction of an efficient and innovative farmhouse. The studio will take place in Barichara, a colonial town located in the North Western region of Colombia. It is open to graduate and upper-level undergraduate students (juniors and seniors) who are interested in engaging in the explorations of these techniques and their use in contemporary architecture.

The studio is organized by:

Maria Carrizosa, a licensed architect in Colombia and holds an undegraduate degree in architecture from Universidad de Los Andes and a dual Master’s degree in Architecture, and City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley. Her design practice in Colombia ranges from institutional to housing projects, developing two award-winning projects for a public library and a music school in rural communities. She has been involved in architectural education in both Colombia and the US and continues her participation as a guest juror in the College of Environmental Design and as an Adjunct Professor at the Diablo Valley Community College. Maria is interested in collaborative practices in both architecture and planning to provide communities with the necessary tools to improve and shape the spaces they live in.

Ana Maria Gutierrez, the co-founder of Organizmo, an organization that promotes the principles of permaculture, bio-architecture and the implementation of intuitive technologies. She holds a BFA in Architectural Design from the Parsons School of Design and Master in Interactive Telecomunication ITP from New York University.

Adriana Navarro, who holds a dual Master’s degree in Architecture, and City and Regional Planning from the University of California at Berkeley. Born and raised in Colombia (S.A), she received a BS Arch (Honors) from the University of Virginia in 2004. After working for Rafael Viñoly Architects, and OPX Global in Washington DC, Adriana moved to California to begin her graduate studies in 2007. As a 2010 John K. Branner Fellow, Adriana traveled the world, focusing her research, FAVELA CHIC, on socio-cultural aspects of design, particularly analyzing the role and relationship between architecture, planning and urban informality. Adriana is founder of the blog FAVELissues.

For more information visit http://buildinglocal.wordpress.com

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Bricks From Volcanic Ash

After weeks of enduring the ash brought on by Chile’s Puyehue volcano, one Argentine woman has decided to transform the grey sediment into something useful. Maria Irma Mansilla used the sediment and sand spewed by the volcano to create bricks. She hopes she and her neighbours will be able to produce them on a large scale to build homes for the poor. Watch

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PUCP – Terra 2012 – Call for submission of abstracts: Deadline extension

CALL FOR SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS: DEADLINE EXTENSION
The organizers of the Terra 2012 Conference are pleased to announce that more than 200 abstracts have been received. In order to meet the request of many people interested in participating in the Conference, the deadline for submission of abstracts has been extended until Monday, March 21st, 2011. For more information go to http://congreso.pucp.edu.pe/terra2012/.

INVITACIÓN A PRESENTAR RESÚMENES DE PONENCIAS: EXTENSIÓN DEL PLAZO
Los organizadores de la Conferencia Terra 2012 tienen el placer de comunicar que se han recibido más de 200 resúmenes de ponencias. Para atender al pedido de muchas personas interesadas en participar en la conferencia se ha ampliado el plazo de recepción de resúmenes hasta el lunes 21 de marzo de 2011. Para más información consultar en http://congreso.pucp.edu.pe/terra2012/.

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Arquitectura Con Tierra en Uruguay

Arquitectura con tierra en Uruguay is a book that offers a tour of fifteen case studies of buildings constructed with earth in Montevideo, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha and Salto, Uruguay. One of the most significant characteristics of this type of construction technology in Uruguay is the amount of new work, which makes a difference to other countries in the region. This publication presents the works of several architects and builders from 1996 to 2009 in a compilation of 250 photographs and charts.

Arquitectura con tierra en Uruguay makes clear the living traditions of ancient technologies that are increasingly valued. This book is available in Uruguay in the Faculty of Architecture Library (Bulevar Artigas 1031, Montevideo) and in the Library of the Society of Architects of Uruguay (Gonzalo Ramírez 2030, Montevideo). It can be purchased elsewhere through www.entrelibros.com.uy

To preview the contents of the publication visit www.arquitecturacontierra.com.uy

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Arquitectura con tierra en Uruguay es un libro que propone una recorrida por quince casos de construcciones con tierra en los departamentos de Montevideo, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha y Salto. Una de las características más significativas de este tipo de tecnología constructiva en Uruguay es la cantidad de obra nueva que marca la diferencia con respecto a otros países de la región. En esta publicación se recopilan las obras de varios arquitectos y constructores desde 1996 a 2009 a través de 250 fotografías y gráficos elaborados especialmente.

Arquitectura con tierra en Uruguay da cuenta de la siempre viva actualidad de técnicas milenarias que vuelven a cobrar valor. Este libro se puede adquirir en Uruguay en la Librería de Facultad de Arquitectura (Bulevar Artigas 1031, Montevideo) y en la Librería de la Sociedad de Arquitectos del Uruguay (Gonzalo Ramírez 2030, Montevideo). Puede ser adquirido desde el exterior a través del sitio www.entrelibros.com.uy

Para ver un avance del contenido de la publicación viste www.arquitecturacontierra.com.uy

Arquitectura con tierra en Uruguay – Autor: Alejandro Ferreiro – 120 páginas – 17 x 24 cm – ISBN 978-9974-98-153-9. Alejandro Ferreiro es arquitecto egresado de la Facultad de Arquitectura (UdelaR) en 2005. Se desempeña como docente de la cátedra de Arquitectura y Tecnología y ha participado como capacitador a partir de 2002 en distintas actividades y jornadas universitarias de transferencia tecnológica. Desde el año 2008 comienza a trabajar como profesional liberal en proyectos de arquitectura con tierra y materiales naturales.