We live in a time marked by the redefinition of the profession of architect, which is increasingly seen as a luxurious and expendable resource, especially by the most disadvantaged populations. The essence of architecture lies in its ability to adapt and make itself available to all classes and must act as a means of transmitting knowledge and integrating the community in which it operates, regardless of the geographical, social or political context of the project. There are several ways to return architecture to its human component; factors such as promotion and revival of cultural heritage, use of vernacular techniques and local resources, integration of the local community, and environmental awareness can be manipulated by the architect, directly influencing the quality of life of the population that will inhabit the designed space. On the Limits of Planning seeks to deepen this theme through the analysis of a typical region – Bajo Huallaga communities; Amazonian tributary located at one end of the Peruvian Amazon –, acting on three guidelines: – centralize communities, and reduce the cultural distance with urban centers; – encourage, instruct and promote the use of traditional construction techniques; and – improve the quality of life of its inhabitants; promoting the integration of the architect in all phases of the project. For several centuries, indigenous groups have inhabited the Peruvian Amazon in harmony with nature, distributed in communities along the main artery of communication and source of subsistence in this region: the Amazon River. The livelihoods of these settlements were transmitted from generation to generation, and date back to periods long before the arrival of European settlers, shaping an indigenous lifestyle, independent of Western societies. However, the growth of the Peruvian population, combined with increasing migration to the Amazon region, forced many of these communities to adapt to a new reality, increasingly separated from their roots.

These communities, although many are located along important commercial river routes, have access to very limited communication infrastructure. Its inhabitants live in conditions of isolation and self-sufficiency, and lack basic services such as health, culture or education; architectural structures are basic and fragile, and sanitation systems precarious or non-existent. On the other hand, the indigenous community member is still the victim of discrimination and racism, which drastically hinders their integration in the nearest urban metropolises. The impact of these factors on indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon is catastrophic, threatening their long-term survival and livelihoods.

Currently, we are witnessing a transitional period in the Peruvian Amazon. The growing interest in the resources of this region, was reflected in a reckless exploitation of them; multinational companies try to acquire territories to carry out extraction maneuvers and build roads, threatening areas of indigenous influence and contaminating rivers, while the Peruvian government does not respond to the appeals of local inhabitants, opening the door to foreign investors without environmental ethics.

The construction of a programmatic argument for this work is born out of direct contact with this reality. A brief visit to Yurimaguas, Lagunas and surrounding communities was enough to get to know a rural class that was simple, happy, but poor and resigned to their fate. A deep understanding of the geographic and demographic characteristics of the region was a key factor in the design of a coherent proposal, on a human scale, which seeks to respond to current problems through simple, sustainable solutions, using natural resources and reviving traditional construction techniques; simultaneously seeking to reassess the role of the architect in its noblest sense – as a unifying agent and source of knowledge – and elevating architecture to its purest state – placing it at the service of the local community, rather than immediate economic return.

More info at:

https://casasparaumplanetapequeno.fa.ulisboa.pt/ENG/projects-and-thesis/32_peru.html

Image: On the Limits of Planning, (source: author, 2022)