Feng Global Postdoctoral Researcher, Princeton University

M. Wesam Al Asali is the chief designer and founder of IWlab and CERCAA.

Globally, the crisis of climate change and housing shortage coexist-these two topics were among the top topics discussed at the recent COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

Buildings and buildings account for more than a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, according to a report by Realtor.com in September, there is a shortage of 5.24 million homes in the United States alone.

Responding to these two crises requires more sustainable and efficient building structures.

But this is not the first time that architects and governments have had to deal with dwindling resources and the task of accommodating large numbers of people. In 1959, an armed uprising led by Fidel Castro overthrew the military dictatorship of Cuban Fulgencio Batista. As part of a broader plan to improve the quality of life of millions of Cubans, Castro’s new government sought to develop a plan for mass production of new houses, schools, and factories.

However, in the next few years, this dream clashed with the difficult reality. Sanctions and supply chain disruptions have caused a shortage of traditional building materials.

Architects realized that they needed to do more with less and use local materials to invent new construction methods.

In an article I co-authored with architect and engineer Michael Ramage and architect Dania González Couret, we explored the creativity of this period by focusing on a specific structural element that Cuban architects quickly grasped: the tile vault challenge.

Tile vaulting is a technique that prevailed in the eastern Mediterranean after the 10th century.

It involves the construction of a vaulted ceiling made of multiple layers of lightweight terracotta bricks. To build the first floor, the builders used quick-setting mortar to glue the tiles together, with almost no temporary support. After that, the builders use ordinary cement or lime mortar to add more layers. This technique does not require expensive machinery or the use of large amounts of wood to make templates. But speed and craftsmanship are the most important.

Due to its economy and durability, ceramic tile vaults spread to different regions in Europe and America. It is called Guastavino tiles in the United States-a tribute to Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino, who used the technology in more than 1,000 projects in the United States, including the Boston Public Library and New York Grand Central Station.

In Cuba, tile vaults were used to build the National Art School or Escuelas Nacionales de Arte.

Fidel Castro advocated the construction of five schools on a golf course in Cubanacán, a small town in western Havana, before the revolution.

Designed by Ricardo Porro, Vittorio Garatti and Roberto Gottardi, these schools integrate terracotta shells and arches with the green landscape of the site. For a long time, they were considered the only tiled vaulted building after the Cuban Revolution.

However, we found that the National Art School is just the tip of the iceberg. From 1960 to 1965, a series of dome experiments and projects were carried out nationwide.

Soon after the revolution, architects and engineers from the Ministry of Construction-known as MICONS-went to the province of Camaguey, known for making terracotta bricks, to learn more about the craft. One of the architects, Juan Campos Almanza (Juan Campos Almanza) led the research team, who had just graduated from the University of Havana. As an experiment, he built a load-bearing vault on the grounds of the Azorin Brick Factory.

This is successful. He continued to use the design to build affordable and elegant waterfront residences in Saint Lucia, north of Camaguey, using the same vault design.

The brick vault structure seems to be a promising solution for the construction of reproducible and cost-effective ceilings.

The Technical Investigation Center, an agency responsible for the development of housing, schools, and factories, used Almanza's research to build its own arched office. An outdoor space nearby-the famous "El Patio del MICONS"-became a gathering place for more structural experiments.

In El Patio, craftsmen, engineers, and architects work together to develop affordable arched buildings, while teachers at El Patio Bricklayers School teach construction techniques to a group of apprentices.

Arched buildings and houses soon began to appear across the country. In 1961, Juan Campos Almansa completed his first housing project in Alta Habana, a new community near Havana, with a simple barrel vault on prefabricated beams. Similar designs are used in more waterfront houses, schools and factories.

In his report on the Altahabana pilot project, Campos defined his method as "traditional mejorado" or "improved traditional architecture"-a mixture of traditional building methods and some prefabricated elements.

He believes that in this way, builders can get the best of both worlds: buildings, some of which are built by hand, are fast and reproducible. It does not require a lot of materials and pre-existing infrastructure.

The best example of this construction method is the Arched University Preparatory Center in Liberty City, where the former U.S. Army base is located. The structure was designed by Josefina Rebellón in 1961, when he was a third-year student in architecture.

Just a few miles from the Art Institute, Rebellón's design was completed in 18 months. It consists of two circular arched buildings, a conical vault and prefabricated beams. Between the two circles, there is an undulating two-story teaching building.

These exciting new construction methods did not last long.

In 1963, Havana hosted the International Union of Architects conference. The theme of the year was architecture in developing countries.

The conference provided an opportunity for Cuban architects to reflect on their recent experience. The Ministry of Construction pushes for the end of what it considers to be a trial period; they believe that large-scale housing requires industrial construction.

The building was built in the factory and then assembled on site. Skilled and professional labor such as treasury construction is no longer regarded as an asset but an obstacle because it is difficult to find treasury builders in remote areas of the country, and novice builders require extensive training.

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However, the stories of these buildings provide lessons for scarce design.

Experimental ability is very important. Coordination between builders, government and architects is crucial. Craftsmanship is also important, whether it's tile vaulting or traditional carpentry.

For a long time, buildings requiring craftsmanship were considered too expensive pet projects, and technologies more suitable for different eras were deployed. But the Cubans were able to prove that craftsmanship can be developed, scaled up, and combined with technological progress.

Today, some promising initiatives show how tile vaulting can be used in low-carbon construction in buildings or engineered ceiling systems. Back in Cuba, now at the training center Escuela Taller Gaspar Melchor in the historical center of Havana, teaching the tile vault.

Cuba’s arched architecture reflects the relationship between necessity and invention, and many people mistakenly believe that this process is automatic. no. This is a relationship based on perseverance, trial and error, and most importantly, passion.

Look at what Juan Campos Almansa and his peers left on the island: beautiful, replicable buildings, many of which still stand today.

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