Centro de tejido wayúu

Abstract

The research project and architectural proposal titled “Centro de Tejido Wayúu: Weaving memory to preserve culture” emerges as a critical and spatial response to the complex dynamics of sociocultural vulnerability faced by indigenous communities in northern Colombia. Strategically located in the municipality of Manaure, within the Mid-Guajira subregion, the project directly addresses the challenges of identity displacement, the progressive loss of the native language (Wayuunaiki), and the decline of ancestral knowledge transmission across generations. These critical issues have been aggravated by geographic isolation, a lack of dignified community infrastructure, and external socioeconomic pressures that threaten traditional practices. To tackle this challenge, the research adopts a mixed-methods methodological approach that balances social sensitivity with technical rigor. Qualitatively, it delves deeply into the Wayúu worldview and its three fundamental productive- cultural pillars: artisan weaving (the ultimate expression of female lineage and thought), traditional fishing, and goat herding. Quantitatively, a comprehensive technical analysis of the site’s environmental variables is conducted. Given the arid, coastal environment characterized by extreme solar radiation, high temperatures, and strong eastern wind patterns, the study establishes robust passive bioclimatic criteria to ensure optimal hygrothermal comfort without mechanical reliance. The formal and spatial translation of these findings is manifested in a single-level architectural layout that respects the horizontal nature of the desert landscape and establishes a respectful dialogue with the site. The design principles reinterpret the traditional ranchería through two dominant tectonic elements: a vast unifying roof/canopy and a depressed central courtyard. The large canopy acts as a lightweight thermal filter and continuous envelope that mitigates direct solar radiation, fosters natural ventilation, and provides shelter for the entire program. Simultaneously, the depressed courtyard serves as the symbolic and geometric core of the complex. Replicating the ancestral hearth, this lowered topographic feature generates a shaded microclimate protected from harsh winds, effectively encouraging community gatherings, collective decision- making, and the oral transmission of history. The architectural program is fluidly organized into dedicated workshops for weaving learning and production, cooperative spaces for fishermen and herders, and polyvalent ethno-educational classrooms. In conclusion, the Wayúu Weaving Center transcends utilitarian function to establish itself as a beacon of cultural resilience, a model for vernacular passive architecture, and a productive infrastructure that fosters economic self-sufficiency for the community of Manaure, securing the preservation of their invaluable intangible heritage under the conceptual framework of “Weaving memory, projecting territory.”