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Revista de Arquitectura accepted for inclusion in SciELO Chile collection
Call for papers 2026 Revista de Arquitectura N.º 50. + N.º 51.
Call for papers Revista de Arquitectura N.°50
ARCHITECTURE AND INVESTIGATION + FREE THEME
50th Issue | 35th Anniversary
Deadline for paper submissions: March 2, 2026
https://dearquitectura.uchile.cl/index.php/RA/announcement/view/396
No. 51. CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURES AND URBAN PROJECTS:
New Themes and Dimensions of the City + FREE THEME.
Deadline for paper submissions: June 22, 2026
https://dearquitectura.uchile.cl/index.php/RA/announcement/view/397
EN AYMI: foldable modular system and minimum prefabrication
Authors
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Cristian Fuenzalida-Rozas
Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Facultad de Arquitectura y Ambiente Construido, Escuela de Arquitectura Santiago de Chile, Chile
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8032-985X
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Abstract
This article analyzes the AYMI foldable modular system from a perspective that integrates design, minimum prefabrication,
and situated sustainability as strategies to address housing and environmental challenges in Latin America. Its main objective is to explore how a prototype conceived as minimal infrastructure can simultaneously operate as a material support for collective dwelling and as a replicable model of architectural production. The research is based on a critical analysis of global and regional precedents, complemented by experiences in light prefabrication, circular economy, and community practices. The methodology combines technical foundations — structural, logistical, and material efficiency — with cultural approaches that interpret fragility as a productive resource rather than a deficiency. The results show that AYMI functions not only as a shelter or emergency device,
but also as a pedagogical tool and a catalyst for collective appropriation. In conclusion, minimum architecture, linked to processes of prefabrication and situated sustainability, emerges as a critical and operative horizon for rethinking architecture to respond with flexibility to contemporary social and environmental challenges.
Keywords:
Minimum architecture , lightweight prefabrication , Aymi system , situated sustainabilityReferences
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