Rural Habitat and Participation: A Path Toward Rehabilitation

Abstract

The production of rural habitat recognizes self-building and self-management as dominant models, although these resources have been little exploited in the design of housing solutions intended for this sector of the population.

In rural communities, the relationship between housing and its environment is resolved in terms of precarious means and services. Nevertheless, the results are simple and appropriate to their natural and cultural contexts, whose characteristics strongly condition the definition of housing in its functional, spatial, technological, morphological, symbolic, and other aspects.

This paper is developed as the conclusion of a series of experiences carried out in the interior of the province of Tucumán, within the framework of the different research projects conducted by the authors in the field of popular housing. To this end, three objectives were proposed: first, to create a space for reflection on ways of life, cultural values, and what is desired to be preserved, changed, or innovated; second, to provide technical and didactic tools that enable users to express their ideas regarding their own housing; and third, to help critically confront needs with resources and aspirations with possibilities.

The aim, therefore, is to present a possible alternative path for formulating the most appropriate proposals within an action-research process, based on the recovery and promotion of the potentialities of the available resources belonging to rural communities, in order to address the rehabilitation of rural habitat in general and housing in particular.