Local Materials, Global Impact: Bamboo for Climate and Seismic Resilient Neighbourhoods in Latin America

The increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related and seismic events globally call for innovative, resilient approaches to social housing development. This study explores the potential of bamboo, as an abundant, locally available, rapidly renewable, and structurally resilient biobased material, to serve as the foundation for climate-adapting neighbourhood’s creation in social housing resettlements in the coastal region of Manabí, Ecuador. By adopting a cross-sectoral collaboration approach, and integrating insights from architecture, materials science, structural engineering, and human geography, a multi-domain approach is proposed. This was defined through the engagement with a broad range of stakeholders, including local architects, international firms, local risk managers and NGOs. The proposed approach demonstrates that bamboo is a practical and adaptable solution for housing projects creation or adaptation, not only enhancing structural resilience, but also reinforcing social cohesion and local empowerment in vulnerable Latin American neighbourhoods. The utilisation of bamboo also addresses simultaneously environmental, economic, and social challenges, fostering the growth of communities, which are most affected by such hazards, while respecting ecological sustainability goals. The findings reported here are the result of an international interdisciplinary research programme aiming to define strategies for development of housing and neighbourhood for wellbeing, so that they are structurally resilient, low-carbon, and allow sustainable growth of communities affected by multiple hazards in Latin America.