WATTLE-AND-DAUB: HISTORICAL-CULTURAL RECONSTRUCTION OF AFRO-DESCENDANT BUILDING TRADITION IN SALINAS, IMBABURA

This article presents the preliminary findings of an investigation into the vernacular bahareque (wattle and daub) architecture in Salinas, Imbabura – Ecuador, a parish with a majority afro-descendant population where the ancestral building tradition faces accelerated decline. The study aims to identify the sustainability values of these buildings through their construction characterization and the recording of oral memory. Using exploratory methodology with a qualitative approach, the research combined bibliographic review, field data collection through direct observation and interviews, and content analysis to reconstruct the constructive process and identify the materials and typologies traditionally used in bahareque buildings in the locality. The results reveal the almost total loss of the original constructions, with their vestiges preserved solely in oral discourse. Sustainability values related to the environmental and social spheres were identified. It is concluded that the vernacular bahareque buildings were adapted to the environment, and moreover, their constructive process was a core element of social cohesion. The possibility of revitalizing this constructive system is proposed, adapting it to the current context and integrating social dynamics as a strategy to enhance local development and the conservation of cultural heritage.