Quincha is a traditional
construction
Construction are processes involved in delivering buildings, infrastructure, industrial facilities, and associated activities through to the end of their life. It typically starts with planning, financing, and design that continues until the a ...
system that uses, fundamentally,
wood
Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...
and
cane
Cane or caning may refer to:
*Walking stick, or walking cane, a device used primarily to aid walking
* Assistive cane, a walking stick used as a mobility aid for better balance
* White cane, a mobility or safety device used by blind or visually i ...
or
giant reed forming an
earthquake
An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...
-proof framework that is covered in
mud
Mud (, or Middle Dutch) is loam, silt or clay mixed with water. Mud is usually formed after rainfall or near water sources. Ancient mud deposits hardened over geological time to form sedimentary rock such as shale or mudstone (generally cal ...
and
plaster
Plaster is a building material used for the protective or decorative coating of walls and ceilings and for moulding and casting decorative elements. In English, "plaster" usually means a material used for the interiors of buildings, while "re ...
.
History
Quincha is a
Spanish term widely known in
Latin America
Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...
, borrowed from
Quechua ''qincha'' (''kincha'' in
Kichwa). Even though Spanish and Portuguese are closely related languages, in this case, the Portuguese equivalent is completely different: ''Pau-a-pique''.
Historically, quincha has been utilized in the
Spanish and
Portuguese colonies throughout the different regions of the
Americas
The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a sing ...
. The construction technology is said to have existed for at least 8,000 years.
In Peru, it is a popular construction design in the coastal regions. It is also adopted in urban centers after the incidence of earthquakes such as the case of the rebuilding of the city of
Trujillo after the 1759 earthquake.
Construction
The framework or wattle is a main feature of traditional quincha. It is constructed by interweaving pieces of wood, cane, or bamboo and is covered with a mixture of mud and straw (or daub).
It is then covered on both sides with a thin lime plaster finish, which serves as a sort of wall or ceiling panels.
Quincha is known for its flexibility since it can be shaped into different designs. For example, the builders of the church at San Jose at Ingenio,
Nazca modified quincha to construct its ornate twin-towered facade. Its resistance to earthquake is attributed to the combination of heavy mass (used for thermal insulation) and timber-frame structure. The lattice design of its framework also provides the quincha building stability, allowing it to shake during an earthquake without damage.
A modern iteration of quincha is called ''quincha metallica,'' a method developed by the Chilean architect Marcelo Cortés.
In this system, steel and wielded wire mesh are used instead of bamboo or cane to create the matrix that holds the mud, which is also improved through the addition of lime to control the clay's expansion and water impermeability.
See also
*
Wattle and daub
Wattle and daub is a composite material, composite building method in which a woven lattice of wooden strips called "wattle (construction), wattle" is "daubed" with a sticky material usually made of some combination of wet soil, clay, sand, and ...
References
Soil-based building materials
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