Modern Vernacular Architecture and Circular Economy in Informal Settlements

Abstract

This chapter investigates circular economy practices in the informal housing construction sector based on case studies situated in Africa, Asia, and South America. The examined cases highlight the application of circular material use within the informal settlements largely based on downcycling, first through reuse and subsequently recycling. In addition, one case exemplifies upcycled waste from the formal city used as interior and exterior cladding of housing. Moreover, the chapter highlights deliberate design strategies for dwelling expansion that enable housing adaptations to accommodate future household needs according to the available economic resources, underscoring distinct approaches to the circular economy in dwelling design that constitute forms of resilient urbanism. The presented cases underscore that the use of reclaimed materials for construction is a notable common practice in informal settlements, particularly among low-income groups, although almost all housing across all cases were made of virgin industrial construction materials. The findings underscore that traditional vernacular architecture is a relatively marginal phenomenon in contemporary urban areas in the Global South, as industrial construction materials such as corrugated iron sheets and reinforced concrete have proliferated based on market mechanisms.