Abstract

The Mapuche people make up an important part of the native population of present-day Chile. Over the course of its history, the culture has produced small-scale architectural manifestations and features on the landscape, some of which survive to this day. This article addresses the similarities between aspects of these constructions and modern concepts of sustainable building. The main research question asked is: what can Mapuche culture teach us about building in a sustainable manner? We propose that, alongside disciplinary advances regarding what constitutes sustainable architecture, a return to a simpler perspective informed by vernacular wisdom may constitute a valuable contribution to the discussion. In order to answer this question, we will first identify the key Mapuche constructions present in the landscape. We will then explore the way in which this ethnic group views and understands its physical space, before proposing and analysing principles of sustainability offered by Mapuche architectural practices.