The 22nd SIACOT, the Ibero-American Seminar on Architecture and Construction with Earth, will be held in La Serena, Chile, in November 2024, continuing the legacy of the 21 seminars initially organized by the Proterra Research Project (2001–2006). Since 2006, SIACOT has been organized by the Ibero-American PROTERRA Network, which emerged from the aforementioned project. It has since become one of the network's primary activities and has established itself as the most significant Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking gathering focused on architecture and construction with earth. To date, SIACOT has been held in Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Portugal, Uruguay, Peru, Chile, El Salvador, Ecuador, Paraguay, Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Cuba. Its most recent edition, held in Colombia, brought together more than 300 participants.
The primary objective of the seminar is to gather and share Ibero-American experiences regarding the use of earth as a construction material across its wide range of possibilities. Topics include construction materials and techniques, tangible and intangible cultural heritage, contemporary architecture, education, vocational training, technological outreach, and disaster risk management. Both research and practical experience are presented through various formats, including papers, posters, design and project reports, and videos, with the goal of fostering broad participation.
