Week 5 · Construção Comunitária: Semana 1 de Prototipagem / Community Build: Prototyping Week 1
Hands-on: foundation, walls, and structural testing in real time.
Learning Objectives
- Construir protótipo em escala real ou 1:4 (dependendo do espaço)
- Tesar técnicas de construção: compactação, amostragem de qualidade, segurança
- Envolver comunidade: vizinhos, estudantes UnB, família
- Documentar processo: fotos, medições, lições aprendidas
Concepts
Community as Method
A single person cannot build quickly. But 10 neighbors, working together for a weekend, can construct a small structure. This is how indigenous communities built. This is how moon base construction will happen: small teams, local knowledge, shared labor. The course is not just about materials — it is about mobilizing your community.
Quality Control on Site
Test samples during construction. Mix batches consistently. Inspect compaction (is it dense enough?). Have participants take turns at each task: digging, mixing, building, testing. Everyone learns. Everyone contributes.
Safety & Ergonomics
Heavy work requires care. Proper lifting, hydration, rest. No one person should do all the physical work. Rotate roles. Build in a social rhythm: work, break, share a meal, work again.
Documentation
Every build is data. Photo every step. Measure compaction density. Record temperatures and humidity. Note what worked and what failed. This becomes knowledge for the next build.
Lab Work (90-min session)
- Prepare site: clear, level, and mark foundation. Set string lines to define structure edges.
- Foundation work: dig trenches if needed. Test soil moisture. Mix first batches of building earth using Week 2 ratios (documented best practice). Begin compacting foundation layer.
- Monitor: weekly (or more frequent) weight/compression tests on samples prepared during build (same material, same technique).
- Wall raising: lay earth in layers (~10-15 cm), compress each layer. Speed depends on curing time (typically 2-3 days per layer in Brazil's climate).
- Safety briefing: before each session, review: lifting technique, hydration, sun exposure, emergency contacts.
✓ Checkpoint · Entrega · Build Log: daily photos, layer-by-layer measurements (height, width, compaction density), sample test results, and a written reflection (300 words): what worked? What surprised you? What would you do differently? /
See Challenge Week {w} for detailed checkpoint.
Resources
Reading:
Case study: Traditional rammed-earth communities (provided in course packet)
Videos:
Reflection Questions
- What was the hardest part of the physical work? How did you solve it?
- How did the community respond? Who emerged as leaders?
- What did your samples tell you about quality? Any adjustments needed?
→ Challenge Week 5