Self-sustaining cities represent the future of energy and urban sustainability. Thanks to renewable energy, each home can become a microcosm of self-consumption of energy, managing its own resources without having to depend on large external electrical infrastructures. In this context, the Amazonian Self-Sustaining Cities (CASA) project It emerged as a response to the energy and environmental crisis in the lower Belén area, in Peru.
This area, prone to flooding due to its proximity to the Itaya River, sees the CASA project as a solution not only architecturally and urbanly, but also socially, economically and environmentally. Would you like to know more about this innovative project? Below, we tell you what it consists of and how it is transforming the region.
Amazon Sustainable Cities Project (CASA)
The city of Belém, located in the Amazon basin, faces serious challenges due to its geomorphology. Periodic flooding of the Itaya River inundates the low-lying part of the city, forcing its inhabitants to adapt by building floating homes and travelling on rafts. This community has lived for generations under these unstable conditions, but in 2014, due to the intensification of flooding caused by climate change, a state of emergency was declared in Belém.
From this moment on, the authorities decided to relocate the inhabitants of the lower area to a new settlement, called New Bethlehem, located on land further away from flood risks. By 2016, progress had already been made on the construction of this new city, a project that goes far beyond a simple physical relocation, as it aims to create a model of a sustainable, self-sufficient city that can be adapted to the conditions of the Amazonian environment.
The CASA project is an initiative led by the Research Centre for Architecture and the City (CIAC) of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP), together with the Institute of Natural Sciences, Territory and Renewable Energies (INTE-PUCP) and the University College of London (UCL). Through this project, we explore how Amazonian cities of the future can be designed, taking advantage of natural resources and local knowledge to ensure a dignified and sustainable life.
New land and structures
The new city's land has basic infrastructure, such as roads, that make it easy to get around. Interestingly, many of the initially relocated inhabitants did not know how to drive, as their historical movements have been mainly via the river. This fact reflects one of the main difficulties faced by the CASA project: the integration of a traditional riverine lifestyle with a modern urban environment.
The aim of the CASA project is not to impose an isolated city model, but rather adapt the urban planning of Nuevo Belén customs, ways of life and the Amazonian environment. To this end, the project team has conducted research on how to integrate locally acquired knowledge and traditional technologies with new urban and economic needs. In this way, it is hoped to transform Nuevo Belén into a sustainable city that can survive and prosper in the context of climate change.
This process involves not only the construction of new housing and infrastructure, but also the creation of a self-sufficient economic and social environment. Relocated residents need new job opportunities and livelihoods that adapt to the new urban environment. Housing design, food production, commerce and other aspects of everyday life are being reimagined through the lens of sustainability and self-sufficiency.
Key components of the CASA project
The CASA project is not just an architectural endeavour. It also addresses social, cultural and technological issues, organised around four major areas of action:
- Community and social management: Active participation of inhabitants in decision-making and resource management at the local level is promoted. This includes the implementation of governance systems that allow Amazonian communities to manage their own development sustainably.
- Appropriate technologies: The CASA project has developed several technological innovations adapted to the conditions of the Amazon. A prominent example is the use of solar grills that use the sun's energy to cook food, reducing the need for fossil fuels and taking advantage of renewable resources.
- Urban design and architecture: The design of the houses and urban infrastructures of Nuevo Belén has been adapted to the characteristics of the environment. Construction solutions such as the following have been conceived: ventilated windows and Lattices for storing rainwater, which allow resources to be used efficiently and sustainably.
- Socioeconomic development: The aim is to create a resilient local economy based on the sustainable use of natural resources. The project includes the implementation of technologies that allow the population to generate income from activities compatible with the Amazonian environment, such as small-scale agriculture and fishing.
These four areas are the pillars on which the new city is being built, which is emerging as an example to follow for other resettlement projects in the Amazon context and beyond.
Technological and architectural innovations
A fundamental part of the CASA project is the development of Appropriate Technologies for the Amazon environment. These advances not only improve the quality of life of the inhabitants, but also reduce their environmental impact. Among the most notable innovations are:
- Improved kitchens: These stoves use less firewood and emit less smoke than traditional ones, which reduces deforestation and improves the health of families.
- Solar grills: They use the sun's energy for cooking, which reduces the use of fossil fuels and takes advantage of a clean and free source of energy.
- Lattices for storing rainwater: Since the Amazon is a region with high rainfall, this system uses rainwater to supply homes with drinking water efficiently and without the need for expensive infrastructure.
- Ventilated windows: These windows allow homes to stay cool, even on the hottest days, without the need for expensive cooling systems.
Furthermore, these innovations are accompanied by a community approach to their implementation. Training workshops have been held to teach residents how to build, maintain and improve these technologies. In this way, communities can develop skills that allow them to be self-sufficient in the long term.
Another important aspect is the integration of the rainwater harvesting in homesGiven that less than half of the population of the Selva Baja has access to drinking water, these innovations make it possible to expand access to this vital resource in a sustainable and accessible way, especially in the most rural and remote areas.
The design of the houses also reflects this symbiosis between technology and sustainability. Local materials such as bamboo and Amazonian clay are used, which are not only abundant in the area, but also contribute to reducing the carbon footprint and improving the thermal efficiency of the homes.
This innovative approach has allowed the CASA project to be recognized internationally; for example, the rainwater harvesting system won the Water Research Prize at the World Architecture Festival.
The CASA project proposes a coherent and systemic vision to address the challenges of population resettlement in contexts as complex as the Amazon. Through its interdisciplinary and collaborative approach, Nuevo Belén is expected to serve as a model for a climate-resilient and sustainable city for the future.