The fluvial architecture of the Amazonian neighborhood of Belen, Peru

The city of Iquitos (Peruvian Amazon) is composed of flood-prone urban communities that relate collective and economic activities to the river dynamics. The research objective is to describe architecture types of the Belen neighborhood (one of the most commercially and touristically important areas of Iquitos) during the Amazonian fluvial dynamics in the flood and ebb cycle of the Itaya River. Data were collected through observations, interviews, photographs, and hand-drawings. The riverside neighborhoods of Belen show architectural qualities that are adaptable to river dynamics through three types of systems: fixed, pile, and floating. In addition, these neighborhoods are located along the course of six natural streams or ‘caños’ that redirect rainwater and wastewater into the Itaya River. The research shows that the urban configuration of the upper, middle, and lower zones undergoes adaptation processes in their commercial, cultural, and constructive dimensions due to the influence of the Itaya River. This social-spatial configuration is supported by the positive attitude of the residents of the Belen neighborhood toward the Amazonian river dynamics.