Architectural typology of rural housing in Jaen, Peru

Abstract

Jaén is one of the most important cities in the northern highlands of Peru due to its strategic location, commerce, and agricultural activities. Jaén has more than 185 thousand inhabitants, of which 48% live in rural areas, representing approximately 31 thousand rural housing. This research aims to determine the types of rural housing in Jaén, showing the possible variations and architectural manifestations due to the territorial and cultural characteristics. A field observation sheet has been used to study the rural dwellings of populated centres previously classified by altitudinal regions. The results show six architectural types of rural housing classified into two groups: “rural-residential housing” and “rural-agricultural housing”. These architectural types are generally located near water sources, within agricultural plots, and on hillsides. The architectural program is characterised by agricultural activity and family composition, which has grown over time. The most commonly used construction systems are “pirca” and “quincha”, using natural materials such as “ichu” and adobe. There is also evidence of cultural traditions rooted in the construction, such as “cambio de fuerzas”, “paracaico”, and “minga”. Therefore, the relevance of Jaén’s rural housing is its geographical reading of the territory through the architectural and cultural legacy of these buildings.