Collective assemblages and bioconstruction: artisanal practices of dwelling in the anthropocene

Abstract

Since the 1980s, community and solidarity movements, referred to by Félix Guattari as micropolitics of resistance, have fostered collective assemblages and new processes of subjectivation that diverge from capitalist paradigms. Collective assemblage is an operative concept that expresses meaning-producing manifestations forged through relationships that result in the creation of something new for those involved. In the context of the Anthropocene, marked by ecological and social crises, collective assemblages have gained relevance by driving changes in everyday, relational, and environmental interactions. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of the formation and maintenance of these assemblages, emphasizing the diversity of meanings attributed to bioconstruction. To this end, we employ interviews, field diaries, and documentary analysis of the book produced by the Habitat project, developed in partnership between the cultural spaces AMÓ and Aterra, which presents ten bioconstructed houses located in Maquiné/RS. We understand bioconstruction as an artisanal practice that integrates vernacular and contemporary scientific knowledge to create sustainable and resilient environments. These environments emerge from singular compositions that blend a wide range of materials and aesthetics, varying according to local resources.