Two Peruvians constructing an earthquake proof house © Maria Eugenia Lacarra/Progressio

When Progressio development worker María Eugenia arrived in Ica, Peru, three months after an earthquake in 2007 that killed 550 people, she was faced with a distressing situation. More than 90,000 homes were damaged. 75,000 were completely destroyed. Reconstruction efforts had barely begun and lacked coordination and resources.

Local people, who before the earthquake had lived in adobe (mud-brick) homes, were now living in temporary shelters made of rush mat and plastic donated by NGOs. ‘Children and old people were getting ill. People were desperate,’ says María.

‘If you don’t have a decent home, if your environment is not secure, the rest of your personal development is impossible,’ explains María. 

María set to work with the local community to design and build earthquake-resistant houses that would be safe, easy to put together and would meet the needs of individual families. ‘Everyone took part – women, men and children,’ says María.

Previously, people had believed that more expensive materials, such as bricks, would give better results. But María focused instead on combining current architectural techniques with natural resources – such as wood and reeds – to design homes with the potential to save lives.  

‘When a seismic wave occurs, the ground moves horizontally. Brick houses fall because they crack and collapse. But these other materials are flexible, and though they move with seismic movements, they would never collapse,’ explains María. 

Melania Quiñónez, one of the local leaders involved in the project, says: ‘If another earthquake were to happen, we are convinced that the houses would not collapse, so keeping our families safe.’

Flor María Quillas, a single mother of three, also took part in the project. ‘I have participated as much as I could. Now I have a really nice, safe house for my children and me,’ she says.

The project was awarded first prize in the Social Habitat and Development category at the Biennial Pan-American Architecture Exhibition. The project was commended for participation by the people and the simplicity of the technique. The Project was also awarded first prize in the Social Habitat and Development category at the Biennial Housing Development & Management of the Swedish University of Lund.

Progressio development worker María Eugenia Lacarra is an architect and specialist in the design, construction and restoration of housing using alternative techniques appropriate for seismic zones.