How to Cite: Ponce de León Hernández, María José. "Methodological Guide for the Study of Human Settlements in Rural Areas: Housing of Cultural Interest. Case Study: Orocué, Casanare". Dearq no. 37 (2023): 68-79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18389/dearq37.2023.07
María José Ponce de León Hernández
Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
Received: September 27, 2022 | Accepted: June 8, 2023
The article serves as a guide for analyzing human settlements in rural areas, offering support for the new housing of cultural interest policy in Colombia. It focusses on the sociocultural dimension and the human experience of a home by examining the vernacular techniques and practices used for construction projects and habitat adaptation. The proposed approach provides a practical means of gathering architectural and cultural information by establishing close relationships with communities. It will enable academics, architects, construction companies and public entities to develop sustainable, viable and appropriate projects in vulnerable areas.
Keywords: housing of cultural interest, vernacular architecture, habitat adaptation, sustainable construction, management, culture.
Colombia's Ministry of Housing, City and Territory has proposed a series of initiatives aimed at upholding the right to decent housing in the country (Ministerio de Vivienda, Ciudad y Territorio 2020). Key policies include Social Interest Housing (VIS) and Priority Interest Housing (VIP). These entail the construction of housing units and different subsidies that can be accessed by vulnerable populations. Although the objective of these initiatives is clear, there is a lack of consensus on the meaning of decent housing, caused by ambiguity, ignorance, bias, and subjective opinions. Colombia's cultural and natural diversity makes it even more challenging to settle on a standardized definition of decent housing. Additionally, all construction firms contracted to carry out these policies prescribe to the conventional business model that prioritizes profit over all other concerns. These projects are usually replicated across all of Colombia's regions, which reduces design and planning costs, but generates serious environmental and social impacts. Consequently, Colombian national heritage is being threatened by these projects which do not take into consideration the specific conditions of each site and the specific needs of inhabitants.
In 2020, the Ministry of Culture launched an alternative initiative, namely the Cultural Interest Housing (VIC) policy, which seeks to protect Colombian national heritage (Ministerio de Cultura 2020). The concept of cultural interest housing conceives of constructions that are deeply connected with and integrated into the landscape and climate in which they are built. Their design, construction, funding, and regulatory principles are guided by local customs, traditions, lifestyles, materials, and construction techniques, and should be built using local labor. In rural areas, the policy aims to establish subsidies comparable to those of VIS/VIP programs; however, this is still at an early stage of development.
The challenge lies in understanding, navigating and regulating the unique characteristics of each territory. This will entail the adoption of traditional techniques and rural construction systems for housing, and their incorporation into building regulations, to honor the country's national heritage. In this process, emphasis is placed on fostering social dialogue.
With this in mind, and in support of the new policy, this article presents a methodology that serves as a guide for the study of human settlements in rural areas. To illustrate the methodology, a case study comprising three indigenous reservations of the Sáliba ethnic group was selected. These are located in the municipality of Orocué, Casanare department, in Colombia's Eastern Plains region.
The methodology emphasizes the sociocultural dimension and human experience within a home, examining vernacular techniques and practices in construction projects and habitat adaptation. The main objective is to propose a practical method of gathering architectural and cultural information by fostering an intimate and inclusive approach that actively engages with local communities. The guide was developed with VIC in mind; however, it can also be used by academics, architects, builders, and public entities interested in studying and proposing housing projects in marginalized rural areas to holistically understand habitat dynamics and incorporate sustainable development into their studies or projects.
An important relationship was found in the literature between rural/vernacular housing and environmental sustainability. The study by Lárraga Lara et al. (2014) gathers significant literature on sustainability in architecture from around the world. They conclude that architects' limited understanding of sustainability issues has led to them applying and circulating misconceived ideas. To address this, the researchers built a database which compiles the sustainability components found in traditional housing, such as history and origin, debate, criticism and methodologies, that enable the sustainability of traditional housing to be measured. According to the authors, traditional architecture showcases the passing down of empirical knowledge. It is the product of indigenous peoples' ancestral experimentation in building techniques (Lárraga Lara et al. 2014, 127). Although the indigenous lexicon does not contain the word sustainability, indigenous peoples embody the concept in practice, with building methods that fulfill the fundamental requirements for adaptation to the environment.
Initially, scholars limited themselves to the study of the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability. However, as the concept was developed further, a cultural pillar has been recognized and integrated into its framework. Recent studies on rural housing and its contribution to sustainability increasingly incorporate this pillar. María de la Luz Lobos Martínez (2017) uncovered notions of sustainability ingrained in the vernacular heritage of a region in Chile, strongly linked to the local way of life and the region's specific cultural diversity. Lobos Martínez cites Gauzin-Müller, who introduces the concept of ecological humanism, an approach that blends both high-tech and low-tech elements. This entails a harmonious integration of industrial products, traditional techniques, and passive design elements that are in sync with the environment.
An example of ecological humanism is vernacular architecture. It is widely acknowledged that both vernacular and modern rural architecture are shaped by the unique characteristics of their location. Sánchez Quintanar and Jiménez Rosas (2010) argue that the plethora of cultural and territorial variation that exists in this category is confirmed by the complexity of rural housing and the fact that it has been the subject of interdisciplinary study. Rural housing must be seen from a sociocultural perspective and its study focused on the dimension of human experience while incorporating its relationship to the surrounding landscape and natural environment.
Romero et al. (2004) studied community participation as a central methodology for architectural design and the social production of habitat. According to their findings, architects and urban planners have traditionally approached the concept of habitat primarily through its physical aspects, such as the structural system and housing design. However, contemporary understanding recognizes that these physical aspects are imbedded within a larger framework of productive, economic, social, environmental, and historical-cultural systems. Therefore, technical designs must receive input from other stakeholders, including the community and other professions, to foster local and holistic development. This is also one of the key principles proposed in the VIC project.
For Colombia, Romero Sánchez (2021) provides an overview of the key milestones that shaped the first transformations of rural housing following the installation of the Liberal Republic and its modernizing projects. Between 1930 and 1946, the Territorial Credit Institute ran a campaign for the improvement of housing in the countryside which was crucial for the modernizing vision of Colombia of the time, focused on prosperity through agriculture. In contrast to traditional narratives about modernization in Colombia which were focused on the nation's capital and inspired by the "First World". The intellectuals of the time argued that Colombia could be a modern nation while retaining its rural character, since at that time the country was mostly agrarian, and coffee production was essential for the economy. Productive rural housing, its vernacular properties included, was regarded as a key strategy for fostering development. The idea of productivity here is important, both as the key concern for different crafts and industries, but also as a determining factor of a culture.
A controversial paradox arose from the way in which the State tried to modernize rural areas in an attempt to homogenize the country, leading to a false "modernization". As Santiago Pradilla puts it in Cartografías emocionales (2010, 9), before the State started to intervene, country folk had not wanted the changes it brought, and problems were already being solved in different ways. The expectation of State investment created an idea of progress and quality of life that was more alien to the rural context than anyone could have imagined. Poverty only started to exist when people started to gain access to all these advantages of "progress", bringing about a decline in quality of life.
This decline was caused by the expectations created from receiving subsidies which caused rural populations to stop working for their communities' development. This outcome was the opposite of what the Territorial Credit Institute had proposed. This historical case reflects the modern situation which sees VIS/VIP policies set off a domino effect, which certain profit-driven construction companies exploit, leading to the proliferation of standardized housing and giant developments. This scenario compromises aspects of the local culture, progress, and the regional landscape. That is not to say that the State should stop intervening, but rather that efforts be directed towards VIC, aiming to protect the heritage of rural areas, promote employment opportunities, stimulate the rural economy, and change the narrow conception of global development.
Guardiola Lince and Velandia Rayo (2018) offer valuable insights into rural housing through the lens of public management, with a particular focus on the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Using a methodology based on interviews, they map the relationships between stakeholders to identify possible gaps and propose strategies for the improvement of rural housing initiatives. The authors conclude that the rural housing program lacks a conceptualization that recognizes habitat as a foundation for sustainability. Consequently, house design becomes simplistic and standardized and fails to address social, economic, and cultural needs. A housing program with the same design across all regions of the country is unfeasible and disregards the multiculturalism and climate differences that exist in Colombia. A design that was intended to benefit families has become a pervasive problem and, in that sense, is a waste of government resources (Lince & Rayo 2018, 23).
The work plan for this study was carried out over three months and used a qualitative approach, focusing on two units of analysis: vernacular techniques of construction specific to the plains and campesino, or rural, identity. Three data collection techniques were applied: architectural/cultural surveys, semi-structured interviews, and workshops. These techniques allow for a holistic understanding of the lived experiences in a specific habitat and provide insights into the cultural, social, and environmental aspects of these.
The surveys were conducted in a participatory manner with the community which facilitated the identification of vernacular techniques employed in rural construction. Additionally, an environmental diagnosis was carried out, to assess the intrinsic sustainability of these vernacular techniques. Tables 1 and 2 summarize the survey focus areas, as well as the environmental diagnosis findings.
Table 1_ Focus areas of the architectural and cultural survey. Source: authors.[2][3][4]
Table 2_ Main items for the environmental diagnosis. Source: authors.[5][6]
A total sample of ten households was collected, with interviews conducted simultaneously with the surveys. The interviews centered on various aspects of daily life, including living arrangements, construction practices, production methods, and social interactions. Emphasis was placed on the local architectural heritage, with a specific focus on identifying the cultural value and campesino identity inherent in the distribution of spaces, patterns of use and technical aspects of production and construction. Spontaneous and didactic communication with interview subjects was required during the fieldwork, as observations arising from the survey prompted additional questions beyond those initially posed in Table 3.
Table 3_ Pre-set questions for semi-structured interviews. Source: authors.
The workshops involved mapping the surrounding natural environment, the ecological cycle, and relationships within the community. These three workshops were conducted as part of the fieldwork with the communities. They began by dividing the group into three, with one or two facilitators per group. The goal was for each group to put forward ideas and start to guide the workshop themselves. The role of the facilitators was to ask questions as they came up, without sharing their own ideas, as the aim was to create a vision of the territory, house, and habits from the communities' point of view. At the end of the workshop, the results of the work in groups were shared with the whole community in order to foster dialogue between groups and conclusions. Table 4 shows in detail the objective behind each workshop and the specific results of one of communities in the case study.
Table 4_ Objectives of the workshops. Source: authors.
Following the gathering of information, we proceeded to analyze the environmental, economic, and social aspects of a house. Then, we proposed possibilities for implementing VIC in the context of the case study.
Taking into consideration the value of the sustainability intrinsic to vernacular construction techniques and practices, the components that constitute a comprehensive home (Fig. 1), as presented by the Ministry of Culture at the 2021 conference on VIC (Vigias de Patrimonio MinCultura 2021), served as the foundation for the analysis.
Figure 1_ Values and components of interest. Source: adapted from Vigías de Patrimonio MinCultura (2021).
It is important to consider the factors in Figure 1 when analyzing sustainability. While sustainability is traditionally analyzed according to economic, environmental, and social dimensions, it is essential to incorporate a fourth element, which is the cultural factor. This inclusion is important for truly defining sustainability, because it adds the concept of rootedness to the social analysis, the use of local materials to the environmental analysis, and cottage industries into the economic analysis. At present, the economic pillar has assumed greater social importance, which is why this analysis is primarily focused on it.
The main issue revealed by our research revolves around the choice between using palm thatch or zinc sheets for the roof; bricks, adobe blocks or wooden planking to enclose the space; and bricks/cement or wood for the structure. This essentially involves a decision between local materials (vernacular techniques) versus industrialized materials (modern techniques). Table 5 compiles the different materials documented in the fieldwork, and compares their uses, construction processes, costs, useful life, operational advantages and disadvantages, environmental impact and social/cultural impact.
Table 5_ Comparison between local and non-local materials. Source: authors.
This comparison evidences the benefits of strengthening the appropriation and protection of vernacular techniques and community dynamics. However, the allure of "modernization" often overshadows this evidence. In the context of the VIC projects, it is important to look for strategies that improve these techniques and ensure better quality of life in rural areas.
The comparison produces three key observations: 1) local materials and self-build practices perform optimally across the economic, social/cultural, and environmental pillars; 2) non-local materials and VIS building practices are fundamentally incompatible with sustainability, and 3) both approaches show advantages and disadvantages. However, local materials are shown to possess better temperature regulation properties and should therefore be maintained. Government efforts and modern construction practices for rural areas should focus on improving hygiene, durability and safety of local materials and practices, without completely replacing them. This approach respects the technological advances made in each region.
After analyzing the techniques and dynamics of the rural settings illustrated in the case study, and gaining initial insights into the surrounding environment, reflections have emerged that can inform VIC policy.
From a legal perspective, VIC would be classified as VIS, if its purpose is to guarantee lower-income households the right to housing and complies with maximum price limits. This classification would allow the national government to allocate resources more easily to the construction and improvement of these houses. However, this contradicts the guidelines of the National Housing Policy, which clearly states that subsidies must be oriented to fulfilling the demand for housing and not directly supplying it. In rural areas, VIS assistance has focused on providing housing units built by entities external to the region. These circumstances have given rise to certain social phenomena that can negatively affect development, as they devalue the self-build and productivity techniques as well as impeding the preservation of inhabitant's sense of belonging and cultural heritage. Consequently, to preserve the cultural dimension of the new policy in question, there needs to be a redesign of the way subsidies are targeted. The primary focus of VIC should be on promoting education and work opportunities and raising awareness of the value existing within the territories themselves, underscoring the importance and relevance of local labor and knowledge. Logically, the definition of decent housing must go beyond technical standards and profit-driven objectives of those responsible for developing this policy and the construction of housing.
Figure 2_ Comparison between a fully enclosed VIS room vs. a self-built room with separation between the wall and the roof, allowing light and wind to enter. Source: own elaboration.
In this sense, the Ministry of Culture could allocate resources for the hiring of experts to study the value chains and economic potential of the different territories. This information would inform education initiatives designed to make progress on these areas. In the case of the Eastern Plains of Colombia, potentially successful projects include tourism activities based on the typical work of the inhabitants of the plains and small-scale trade between communities and neighboring families of agricultural products and animals for consumption. By identifying and capitalizing on these opportunities, the Ministry can contribute to the sustainable development of these territories. Alternatively, considering the scarcity of palm due to the annual burning of the plains, an alternative approach to subsidizing housing units is to consider declaring areas with abundant palm resources as protected areas. If they are afforded these protections, it is crucial to ensure proper management practices, including planting new groves and respecting the natural cycles of palm leaf regeneration. This will help meet the demand for palm to thatch roofs. In this vision, the homeowner would be responsible for building their own house, and so would be able to decide on the design as well as preserving local, autonomous labor dynamics and culture. This option could also be economically more viable than investing in individual homes.
Figure 3_ Photo gallery of vernacular techniques of the plains. Source: own elaboration.
When it comes to heritage conservation, VIC should prioritize maintenance and ongoing observation. Renovating palm groves would ensure that inhabitants have access to dwellings with decent living conditions.
The integration of these ideas is related to specific construction practices that would optimize the use of organic materials such as palm and wood. One of the most serious problems of the use of palm, earth and wood for walls is their compliance with safety standards for structural and non-structural elements. A recommended strategy to combat this problem is the creation of informative booklets and manuals that focus on "performance-based" guidelines for constructions of one and two floors. These manuals should contain flexible and adaptable recommendations rather than rigid requirements, showcasing tried-and-tested designs and construction processes from each region which have been verified by people practicing local traditions. For example, adobe walls can be reinforced with chicken wire or an assembly of metal or plastic bottle caps. The structure can then be plastered with a mixture of elements such as mud, grass, and cow manure. Wood can be used for the columns, beams, and braces of the structure, as it has been widely used and recognized as good practice and there are many existing examples that can be followed.
The findings of the studies emphasize the following points: 1) it is important to harvest wood during the waning moon. If it is cut outside of this period, wood can start to rot before reaching its maximum useful life. 2) Palm fronds are especially suitable for thatching. In order to ensure that they reach their expected useful life (typically ranging between 12 and 20 years), fronds should be harvested from a tree that is at least 30 years old. 3) The rows of palm fronds must be installed properly: fronds should be dense, tightly packed, with a good overlap, on a good slope or arch, and well fastened or nailed down. And 4) regarding architectural design, a careful study of the site must be carried out, in order to take advantage of the bioclimatic possibilities and learn from the vernacular techniques of the region. For example, structures are not usually completely closed, with a gap between roof and the top of the wall. This provides ventilation and natural illumination of the spaces. This technique is not incorporated into VIS designs and creates the need for artificial ventilation and lighting.
The primary objective of this study is to promote environmental awareness through culture, ensuring that Colombian diversity is not overshadowed by modern ideas such as the pressure for development and resource depletion. With this in mind, the most significant finding of this research endeavor was the concept of self-realization which encompasses the practices of self-building, self-production, and self-sustainability. Self-realization promotes independence and offers a viable non-consumerist worldview. Consequently, an analysis of VIC must focus more on the management of resources than on construction.
A key element of sustainability is the respect of natural cycles as well as understanding that humans are part of that cycle. In other words, respect for the environment involves recognizing one's place within it. In the context of the VIC policy, architecture must take the opportunity to foster this mindset through education and culture initiatives. This, to preserve visions of the world based on understanding the role of humans within the environment, different from so-called Western perspectives. Another concept, relationality, can complement this worldview. Relationality recognizes that people and the elements of the environment are not independent of each other, but rather a function of the relationships they create between them.
Figure 4_ Photo gallery of typical crafts in the plains. Source: own elaboration.
It is important to bear in mind that this study is, above all, a reflective exploration of VIC. Much remains to be done; however, it could certainly be said that VIC should be studied from a multidisciplinary approach. Architecture acts as a bridging or management discipline, so it is crucial to also incorporate reflections from anthropology, science, engineering, and campesino knowledge.
As stated, this article serves as a methodological guide for the study of human settlements in rural areas. One of its strengths is the flexibility of the proposed methodology, which allowed for an anthropological rather than a technical approach, that considers both housing features and cultural identity. However, if it is applied to the governmental sphere, this approach could lead to political and administrative discrepancies. One solution to prevent and mitigate this is for the government to engage academia (architects, anthropologists, engineers, etc.) and campesinos on policy regulation. This could involve joint study and a participatory process in which the communities are appropriately represented, encouraging them to take on responsibilities and the stewardship of their habitats and the environment, without pressuring them to renounce their identities or cultural diversity.
Figure 5_ Rural llanero habitat. Source: own elaboration.
This study was made possible through collaboration with Universidad del Trópico, which researches the Colombian Orinoquía, and with the Travesías program, attached to the Faculty of Social Sciences at Universidad de los Andes, as part of the research project Aproximación Etnoecológica a los saberes y técnicas vernáculas del hábitat llanero (Ethnoecological approach to the vernacular knowledge and techniques of the plains habitat).
* Methodological synthesis based on the author's thesis for the Master's Degree in Architecture at Universidad de los Andes.
1 The contributions found in 'Saberes compartidos del hábitat: una arquitectura para el paisaje rural' (García Reyes and Anzellini 2019) were used as a methodological basis.
[2] Coarse flour made with bitter cassava.
[3] A crispy, thin, circular cracker bread made from cassava flour that has a sour taste.
[4] A hand-sculpted clay oven for baking mañoco and casabe, which produces a large amount of smoke.
[5] Trough, well or ditch that is filled with water, either artificially or by natural filtration.
[6] Rack where the tasajo (meat or fish jerky) is laid out to dry.