Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María students build sustainable shelter

Architecture students at the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María (USM) have designed and constructed a student shelter using the ancestral ‘quincha seca’ technique. The project, led by Professor Pablo Silva and guest architect Camilo Moraes, involved 25 students in every stage of the construction process, from preparing mixtures to erecting structures.

The quincha seca system is a recognized earth-building method in Chile, utilizing a wooden frame filled with pressed wheat straw and coated with a mixture of earth, clay, sand, and vegetable fibers. This method was chosen for its high energy efficiency and low environmental impact, as it relies on local resources like wood, earth, and straw.