Modern methods of construction in a world-leading rural housing programme: An implementation case study in Temuco, Chile

The Rural Habitability Programme is an UN-Habitat award-winning Chilean policy that provides funding and technical support to remote communities so they can build new houses or improve their existing homes.

We are working with local companies, government departments (Ministry of Housing and Urbanism, Economic Development Agency), and local academic partners (Universidad Autónoma de Chile) to leverage the benefits of modern methods of construction to improve the quality of rural housing in Temuco. This is a region in need of sustainable development, with contested landscapes shaped by land ownership conflict with local indigenous Mapuche communities and accelerated, widescale industrial deforestation.

1. Collaboratively uncover gaps in delivery plans, policies, and funding mechanisms to implement modern methods of construction in a rural housing programme.

2. Prototype building elements and design solutions adopting modern methods of construction in the context of the local industrial ecosystem.

3. Simulate scenarios of rural housing procurement, testing out impactful ways to promote the adoption of modern methods of construction, influence local policy, and local development.