Oga'i House

Market Suggested Retail Price

$10,500.00

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

This product has been implemented by CEDES/Habitat through the Ministry of Urbanism, Housing and Habitat of Paraguay.

Manufacturing/Building Method

The design process of the Oga'i House typology included the participation of the Mbya Guarani community members through design charrette sessions and prototyping.

Building methods included off-site and on-site processes. Posts, rafters, and beams made of reinforced concrete were prefabricated off-site and transported to the site for assembly. Building materials such as bricks, cement, and corrugated galvanized sheets were sourced by suppliers from the region of Caaguazu and transported to the site for assembly. Teams of masons worked on-site for foundation and walls construction as well as roof assembly.

Locally-sourced materials included straw for roof insulation, fibrous materials for basketry work used for upper wall enclosures, and soil for rammed earth floors.

Intellectural Property Type

Select Type

User Provision Model

This product is distributed by CEDES/Habitat to Mbya Guarani families living in Caaguazu, Paraguay, through the Ministry of Urbanism, Housing, and Habitat of Paraguay.

Distributions to Date Status

By 2020, 2,904 units have been distributed to the Ministry of Urbanism, Housing and Habitat of Paraguay.

Design Specifications

The Oga'i House developed by CEDES/Habitat in cooperation with Asociación Mborayhu Porã - Mbya Guarani sought to answer the need for housing based on the culture and costumes of the Mbya Guarani community living in Caaguazu, Paraguay.

The five-member family house unit is 40 m² and composed of three main spaces based on the traditional Mbya Guarani houses: a) "Tataypy" or cooking room; b) "Oga guy" or semi-covered space for social activities; c) "Keaty" or sleeping room.

The building system is made of off-site and on-site construction methods. The main structure is made of prefabricated forked columns, rafters, and beams. The structure recreates the traditional forked wood structure built by the Mbya Guarani and replaces wood which is a very scarce material in the region today.

The double roof system is composed of corrugated galvanized panels covered with a thatched roof. The use of galvanized panels protects families from potential contact with Chagas disease and the thatched roof layer works as the roof insulation layer.

Technical Support

Provided by the CEDES/Habitat. 

Replacement Components

Most of the components of the house were thought to be durable and low-maintenance due to the remote location of houses and difficult access to material suppliers. Foundation, walls, and roof are made of long-standing materials except for the layer of thatched roof used to cover the corrugated galvanized panels. This layer of the thatched roof can be replaced with local materials. Upper wall enclosures made of natural fibers can also be replaced with local materials.

Lifecycle

Unknown

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Designer specified performance targets include:

• Off-site prefabrication of concrete components for the main structure to avoid using wood
• On-site assembly of concrete structure
• On-site walls construction
• Space organization based Mbya Guarani culture to impulse households appropriation
• Implementation of locally source materials for the foundation to avoid transporting materials from far away places
• Intermediate space area to facilitate social activities
• Upper wall enclosures to increase cross-circulation of natural ventilation
• Increment thermal insulation of roof implement a combine thatched and corrugated galvanized metal panel roof
• Decrease fire risk by placing the thatched roof over the corrugated galvanized roof panel

Vetted Performance Status

Observation performed by researchers from the University of Seville (Spain) reported confident results related to community participation in the design and construction process, reforestation in the area surrounding the houses (families benefited with a house paid part of the cost of the house through reforestation), improvement of comfort conditions in the interior of the house, implementation of a garden for family consumption, and cases of return of families members that migrated to urban areas.

Safety

No known safety hazards are related to this product.

Complementary Technical Systems

The Oga'i House included the construction of a Solar Dry Toilet unit in the exterior of the house.

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

The Oga'i House is certified by the Ministry of Urbanism, Housing, and Habitat of Paraguay.

Other Information

The designer developed a version of the Oga'i house but for another Native community in a different region. They stated they are working on a new version of the Oga'i House. ^{Interview with designer}