With the debut of the well-known Brazilian movie, "City of God" (2002), the audiences get to watch the new housing estate that was built on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. In the face of such nostalgia, the architectural features of the television development in the movie, dated from the 1960s, were a recent construction, referring to the obsolete solutions of the housing programs in Brazil. It is a daunting reality that the mentioned trend is a familiar one in many countries in the global south and not just in Brazil alone.
Housing Challenges and Inadequate Solutions
Housing issues are compounded by escalating social inequality and the heightened frequency of natural disasters due to climate change. Private and public campaigns often fail to adequately address these challenges, offering slow and outdated construction solutions that underscore the industry's inability to keep up with modern conversations on architecture and urban planning.
Modular systems and the revival of vernacular techniques offer promising avenues for addressing housing issues in the global south. Modular construction, involving standardized modules assembled on-site, offers speed, efficiency, and better cost management. Studies indicate that this method can cut construction time by up to 50%, crucial for tackling housing shortages in many countries.
However, industrial-scale modular construction may overlook regional architectural nuances unique to different areas. This is where the revival of vernacular techniques comes into play, providing a sense of identity and belonging for residents. By integrating new technologies with elements of regional culture, architects can create nimble and culturally sensitive architecture that fosters a sense of belonging among residents.
In Santiago, Chile, social housing units were arranged linearly, with main facades facing east to greet the rising sun, honoring ancestral traditions. In Indonesia, the Pemulung housing complex utilized local bamboo in modular units, empowering the community to draw inspiration from and replicate these modules for self-sufficiency.
Even in rural areas of Colombia, modular techniques have been applied to provide social housing using locally available wood. This project strikes a balance between mass production and localization, revitalizing traditional construction techniques and embracing local cultures.
BUILDNER celebrates architecture competitions as a tool for achieving progress by fostering groundbreaking ideas that push the industry forward. Through academic and project competitions, BUILDNER aims to inspire the next generation of designers to propose innovative solutions and challenge the status quo in architecture and urban planning.
Finally, the combination of age-old practices and new innovative solutions is the unique power of dealing successfully with the housing problems not only in global south but also on the whole world level. Through adopting modular systems and practical methods architects are able to develop more housing where inhabitants are not only protected from the elements but also feel a sense of belonging and the new structures are good for the environment. This method recognizes conventional building approaches with traditional practices and materials as a fundamental aspect of preservation. It makes use of modern technologies and design principles to further achieve this goal. Combining the outcomes of modular construction with those of vernacular technology would in this context mean that architects can design little houses that surround their cultural background and change as the climate is changing.
