Reconstructing a community
The June 2005 earthquake destroyed most of the village of San Lorenzo in the arid northern province of Tarapacá, Chile. Re-construction was carried out between 2006 and 2008. Since the town is located in a cultural heritage zone protected by the Chilean National Monument Council, reconstruction needed to reflect the patrimonial style and retain the traditional construction systems of the villages.
The earthquake had collapsed adobe buildings of masonry, stone, concrete block and mud mortar, and its impact had been exacerbated by neglected maintenance of housing structures, fatigued materials due to age and deficient construction techniques. Adobe masonry had been treated as if it possessed the structural properties of (stronger) masonry block, poor soils had undermined foundations and were unable to bear the weight of stone structures.
The traditional adobe homes were replaced by 81 low-cost structures that were fast to build and used local materials. The structures were fabricated from a simple metal frame construction with cement block walls, giving support to the quincha façades made of wood and clay (debris). Each family defined the layout and dimensions of their house according to their specific needs.
The project recovered housing construction systems that are sustainable, efficient, strong and durable – allowing reconstruction with dignity and respect for local heritage. The approach addressed the constraints of a limited budget, urgency of the community while improving traditional adobe building systems.