Nueva Reforma: Supporting the Long-term Stability of Latin American Rural & Indigenous Communities affected by Civil War

Widespread displacement and the inadequate distribution of resources caused by civil wars, social strife, and climate change are ongoing threats to the livelihoods of Latin American communities. Roughly half of Guatemala’s current population lives in poverty and requires humanitarian aid, with numbers projected to increase by the end of 2024. Humanitarian efforts and research in response to this crisis are underway, but funding is limited and aid is often unable to reach the areas that need it most. Merging culturally thoughtful practices with interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable rural planning, this project aims to investigate how architecture can be leveraged as a tool to support inclusive rural development frameworks that allow impacted communities to self-navigate crisis response efforts and achieve long-term stability.