Sign up for this hands-on, personalized internship and help low-income, indigenous communities reclaim their ancestral building techniques to restore and build sustainable housing for all.

The challenge:
Before the industrialization of construction, local people in the Andes built houses out of the rich clay soils. However, globalization has meant that local people build single-skin, concrete buildings. While these are quicker and more modern, they are also colder, more expensive, less ecological, and more vulnerable to earthquakes. ​In the area, hundreds of adobe buildings have been left to ruin. As these traditional techniques are lost, so is the cultural heritage captured in the architectural beauty.

The solution:
We are helping to restore these old buildings to preserve the cultural heritage and provide future benefits to their owners, including much-needed income through tourism or simply a dignified place to live. With support from our experienced team, take on a design or build project where you will learn about how Adobe homes are made in the Andes and help us restore buildings that otherwise may fall into ruin.

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