A Cultural, Architectural, and Territorial Tradition: Houses That Recycle and Showcase Wooden Shingles in ChileSave this picture!Abovedada House / Edward Rojas Arquitectos. Image Antonella TortiOn a slope, along the banks of a river, among trees, or on an expansive hillside, each territory serves as a living testament to its local traditions. Through its architecture, the experimentation, appreciation, and use of certain materials, construction techniques, local crafts, and site-specific tools aim to preserve stories and pass on the discoveries and learnings that have shaped many of the practices still used in construction today. In Chile, the language of wooden shingles evokes a reflection rooted in history and an understanding of relationships, timelines, and life networks. Shingles are flat, thin rectangular wooden boards commonly used in the construction of houses, churches, and buildings in southern Chile, mainly in the Region of Los Lagos and particularly in the archipelago of Chilo. For many years, they have been applied to facades, roofs, and indoors in various dimensions, shapes, finishes, and thicknesses. They are installed by layering one piece over another to prevent rain and cold from entering.Save this picture!The most commonly used wood in Chile is alerce (larch), due to its resistance to moisture, versatility, aesthetic beauty, and ease of manipulation in the form of shingles. However, due to excessive logging, this species is now endangered, and cutting down live trees has been prohibited since 1976. Today, synthetic shingles made of fiber cement or recycled materials from older constructions are being developed. Related Article What If Every Brick Had a Future? Rethinking Demolition and Material Reuse in the Circular Economy Save this picture!The Totoral House by LAGAR Arquitectos and the Abovedada House by Edward Rojas Arquitectos use recycled shingles in their cladding, which are part of the local heritage, maintaining a connection to a craft that may be on the verge of extinction and to a community shaped by wooden constructions. While alerce shingles have captivated many artists, artisans, designers, and architecture professionals, there are also shingles made from other species like lenga, present in projects such as House IV by Staudt Arquitectura or the Hats House by SAA architecture + territory, which aim to bring local construction traditions closer to their inhabitants through architecture.Save this picture!While the reflection on ecological materials includes variables such as maintenance, sustainability, resource conservation, and the potential for reuse or recycling, the craft of making shingles also stands out as part of the cultural identity of individuals and their communities. The facade restoration of the Jardn Infantil Lobito Marino in the Aysn Region, for example, demonstrates how it is possible to empower and value the carpenter's craft through teaching technical knowledge and practices in support of quality construction.Save this picture!Understanding the role of humans in habitable spaces and their active and conscious commitment to fostering more sustainable practices in the construction industry goes beyond considering which tools or technological systems can be incorporated. Given the varying climatic, geographical, and economic conditions of environments worldwide, it is worth questioning: what will be the future of materials around us, like wood, bamboo, concrete, and their derivatives? How will reuse and/or recycling practices impact the environment in the coming years, and what techniques will replace them?Next, we propose to explore the design decisions and strategies for applying wooden shingles in contemporary architecture through a selection of houses in Chile that use demolition, recycled, and reused shingles, among others, as cladding for exteriors and interiors.MM House / Benjamin Goi Arquitectos + Claro + Westendarp arquitectosSave this picture!La Puntilla House / M3 ArquitectosSave this picture!House 4 Aguas / Viento NorteSave this picture!Totoral House / LAGAR ArquitectosSave this picture!Maytue House / Juan Carlos Sabbagh ArquitectosSave this picture!Pier House / Ciudad nueva, Arquitectura y PaisajeSave this picture!Abovedada House / Edward Rojas ArquitectosSave this picture!House IV / Staudt ArquitecturaSave this picture!Casa Haus III / Staudt ArquitecturaSave this picture!Vodanovic House / Duarte Fournies ArquitectosSave this picture!Hats House / SAA arquitectura + territorioSave this picture!Maullin Lodge / AVON ArquitectosSave this picture!Casa LM / Juan Pablo LabbSave this picture!Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorAgustina IiguezAuthorCite: Iiguez, Agustina. "A Cultural, Architectural, and Territorial Tradition: Houses That Recycle and Showcase Wooden Shingles in Chile" [Una tradicin cultural, arquitectnica y territorial: casas que reciclan y ponen en valor las tejuelas de madera en Chile] 28 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. (Trans. Pieiro, Antonia ) Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026166/a-cultural-architectural-and-territorial-tradition-houses-that-recycle-and-showcase-wooden-shingles-in-chile&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream