The ICHaB (Institute for Cooperation in Basic Habitability) was established in ETSAM-UPM in 1995 and emerged with the purpose of providing a response to the global dimension of the problem of marginal neighborhoods. Since 2004, the UPM has recognized ICHaB as a “Cooperation Group for Development in Basic Habitability” at the Technical University of Madrid.
Throughout more than twenty years of enthusiastic, professional and even altruistic work, it has developed its activities in four areas:
- Postgraduate teaching
- Cooperation projects for development in Basic Habitability
- Investigation-action
- Awareness-dissemination
The team’s objectives are none other than to obtain a deep understanding of the importance of the growing problem of scarcity at different scales, called “Basic Habitability”, that is, from territorial and urban design and planning to the design of elements and processes, as well as the selection of materials and systems. The term “Basic Habitability” defines exactly what constitutes one of the great problems of humanity and, therefore, an attempt has been made to use all available means to spread it through teaching, applied research, technical publications and the implementation of Basic Habitability projects mainly in South America and Africa.
Director: Belén Gesto Barroso (belengesto@ichab.es)
Contact: info@ichab.es
Webpage: www.cuhab-upm.es
Notebooks of experiences:
