The project approach comes up as an answer to the needs evidenced since the earthquake that affected Ecuadorian coasts on April 16th. The proposal is the consequence of an intense process of discussion about the serious damage and the lack of an effective articulation which caused isolated initiatives and resulted into a loss of synergies and the reduction of the impact of the activities. This need of articulation in the construction of joint capabilities is precisely its principal axis. The principal objective of the project is to align the production and transference of applied, scientific and technological knowledge with the satisfaction of the social needs, promoting secure, resilient and sustainable human settlements. The plan’s intention is to strengthen the role of the affected communities for a sustainable and inclusive recovery. The process resulted in the generation of a replicable pilot from sustainable and flexible building system that achieves processes of economic and social reactivation. At the same time, it allows the physical reconstruction of the habitat, the maintenance of the local identity and the conservation of the environment. The consequence is a prototype of flexible housing, inclusive and simple, that empowers the users to take responsibility of their development.

The earthquake affected the north zone of Ecuador, a coast region mostly, with distanced settlements located in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. This characteristic defines 3 types of territorial conditions. 1.- Urban zones, densely populated, with buildings of different heights a) near to the coast b) intra-earth 2.- Urban zones in smaller scale settlements, low density and edifications mostly of low height and near to the coast with tsunami risk. 3.- Rural settlement of low and high density, intra-earth or hilly.

Those characteristics influence in the potentialities of each populated center, its way of life and activities. In the second and third territory, the abilities of the population are developed depending on their economic activity, farming, animal breeding, fishing, etc. That’s why the management of tools of common use is daily, the wood behavior is also known, and people make from boats, furniture to houses. The use of bamboo in the production of crafts, clothing, furniture and houses represent a carpenter and craft tradition that are being lost as values of the society. We identified an awareness of solidarity and organization, but especially a disposition to change and the adaptation post disaster is very good. The affected communities started to think about today and tomorrow getting over yesterday. The deficiencies identified in mostly of collapsed edifications be occurred due to the lack of knowledge about the use of new materials for the community: steel and concrete, their design and behavior as well as dosages, frames, joint types and welds among others. This gives us clues about systems and materials to be promoted and recommended.

We can identify three actors involved in the proposal: Architects, the academy and inside of it professionals and students and finally the community, which is the most important.

The functions and activities are no sequential or divided into phases, we think that on each stage the different actors have a lot to say and that directs the decisions we took about the process. As architects we propose the need of an action that support the development of the community, we created a system beginning from a deep knowledge about materials and abilities of each settlement and our abilities as a substantial part of the development, I mean we as architects and academy working together. The management of resources and construction of the prototype joins us again, on this case architects and community, not necessarily affected community but all the society, public and private business, etc. All of us, beginning from an idea to join forces on its concretion. University students and natural people are an important part of the development of the prefabricated elements.

Each stage is designed in order to require minimal specialization and abilities, as well as technological resources. That facilitates the materialization of the project and future ventures. In the development of the prototype, the socialization and discussion with the community and future users is very important, because many times they solve systems and details that facilitate its assembly. The affected settlements are in a greater or lesser degree in a rejection and fear process to the concrete and steel systems, not because it’s good or bad behavior but the lack of knowledge about their characteristics.

There is a total opening to return to their constructive heritage for this new stage, the management of wood, bamboo, straw, etc.