Week 6 · Construção Comunitária: Semana 2 e Especialização / Community Build: Week 2 & Specialization
Finishing: roof, doors, windows, and scaling to individual designs.
Learning Objectives
- Completar prototipo comunitário
- Especializar: cada participante escolhe aspecto (telhado, acabamento, portas)
- Testar estrutura completa (carga de techo, infiltração de água)
- Planejar escala individual para a semana 7
Concepts
Roofing & Weatherization
The roof is the most critical element: it must shed water, provide insulation (thermal mass in tropics), and support its own weight plus snow/wind loads. Options: wood frame + thatch, wood + tile, wood + earth (heavy but durable). Each has trade-offs. We design for your climate and local materials.
Finishing & Aesthetics
Lime wash, earth plaster, or natural oil finishes protect the surface and allow breathing. Windows and doors are openings — they weaken the wall but allow light and ventilation. Position them strategically: north-facing in tropics (shade), east-west in temperate zones (solar gain in winter).
Load Testing
Once the prototype is complete, we test: place weights on the roof, gradually increase, and measure deflection. No building collapses in testing — this is why we test first. Results inform the individual designs for Week 7.
Scaling Knowledge
What works in a 4x4m prototype works in a 6x6m structure, if proportions are maintained. What works in one soil type may need adjustment in another. Participants take the knowledge and adapt it to their specific context.
Lab Work (90-min session)
- Roof installation: assembly and testing (load up to 150% design load, measure deflection, look for cracks).
- Door/window cutting: careful work, required supervision. Ensure structural integrity (no load-bearing collapse).
- Finishes: apply lime wash or earth plaster. Observe curing and any cracking. Document finish performance over 2 weeks.
- Water test: simulate heavy rain (garden hose) on completed roof and walls. Observe: any leaks? Where? Why?
- Load test log: systematic recording of load (kg), deflection (mm), and visual observations. Plot results on a graph.
✓ Checkpoint · Entrega · Completion Report: structural test data (load vs. deflection), weather test results, finish photos (before/after), and design specification for each participant's Week 7 build (dimensions, materials, estimated costs). Cost breakdown included. /
See Challenge Week {w} for detailed checkpoint.
Resources
Reading:
Architectural design standards for earth building (provided in course packet)
Videos:
Reflection Questions
- At what load did the prototype first show visible damage? What does this tell you?
- How would you improve the design based on testing?
- Which finish performed best in the water test? Why?
→ Challenge Week 6