Vernacular Architecture, Tradition, and Transformation in Rural Colombia

Rural Colombia has experienced a decline in its cultural and architectural identity due to the neglect of vernacular building techniques and the legacy of its ancestors. The objective of this research is to analyze the relationship between the loss of ancestral knowledge, building practices, and territorial identity, based on the understanding of the natural environment and its inhabitants, in order to strengthen design processes that are better adapted to these realities. The study views the configuration of space as a sustainable alternative and conceives of vulnerable rural territories as opportunities for reflection on habitat and housing, capable of generating solutions tailored to the needs and realities of the country’s rural communities. The research was conducted using a mixed-methods approach combining action research, documentary research, and fieldwork in La Mojana, a region in the department of Sucre, specifically in the municipality of San Benito Abad, Colombia, focusing on the regions territorial dynamics, construction practices, and architectural development. Based on the analysis of the results, the importance of the environment and ancestral knowledge in construction is evident, as is their role in shaping identity and/or driving social transformation. However, the realities reveal a complex landscape where rural sectors have been marginalized and require mechanisms to generate opportunities, in which architecture becomes a catalyst for Colombian rural life.