Houses in Peru: 5 Projects That Use Cement Blocks in Their Construction

Written by Agustina Iñiguez | Translated by Antonia Piñeiro
Published on June 01, 2024

Beyond being a prefabricated material currently produced in large quantities, the use of concrete blocks in architecture continues to evolve to meet the demands and needs of contemporary societies that are constantly changing. Whether in interior or exterior spaces, their use can align with concepts of circular economy, resource efficiency, sustainability, and more, with the goal of creating habitable spaces while also understanding their constructive advantages and disadvantages, their expressive and aesthetic qualities, and so on.

Covering an area of more than a million square kilometers, the territory of Peru extends over the intertropical zone of South America, between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn. Thanks to its diverse geographical conditions, it features a wide variety of landscapes and natural resources, leading numerous homes across the country to seek a dialogue with their natural surroundings. Considering the climate, the orientation and ventilation of spaces, the topography of the environment, the views, and other factors, materials such as cement blocks can be used as enclosures or even take on a structural function. For example, in Textile House by Ghezzi Novak, concrete blocks represent the material expression of the house. As the authors state, "They are fibers woven to create a fabric that internally resolves technical and structural engineering to exploit its spatial and tactile qualities."

When discussing the construction system used to build a house, factors such as the choice of materials, execution times, the quality of workmanship, the desired aesthetic expression, and the project’s budget influence the design process and guide the decisions of both professionals and their clients. While in some cases concrete blocks help to provide more detail in the interior spaces through their modulation, in others they aim to interact with their context through their color and the roughness of their texture, which manifests in their raw character.

Concrete Blocks in Architecture: How to Build With This Modular and Low-Cost Material

With a long road ahead for conceiving and thinking of new forms of application, cement blocks can reduce project costs due to various reasons, including their modular nature and standard dimensions that enable different design solutions. According to the generally established requirements and standards, they have important physical and mechanical properties to consider during their manufacture and implementation. Below, a selection of five contemporary residential projects located in the Paracas and Pachacamac regions in Peru allows us to explore their use in relation to the different environments of the home and their combination with other materials.