Etnoarquitetura Ambiental Amazônica: habitação e transporte, uma sustentabilidade dos povos e do viver amazônico

Abstract

This study investigates the ethnoarchitecture of Amazonian riverside communities, focusing on building practices, the symbolic meanings embedded in housing and river transport, and their relationships with the natural and cultural environment. The research was conducted in the Nossa Senhora das Graças community, located in the municipality of Manacapuru, Amazonas, and is grounded in the premise that riverside architectural practices combine material and symbolic elements, serving as expressions of cultural identity and environmental adaptation. Ethnoarchitecture is approached here as an interdisciplinary field that bridges architecture, anthropology, and ecology, enabling the analysis of how traditional knowledge shapes built environments in response to the Amazon’s dynamic environmental conditions. The study highlights the influence of hydrological cycles on housing and mobility solutions, showing how empirical knowledge accumulated over generations guides the construction of stilt houses (palafitas) and handcrafted boats adapted to seasonal river changes.The methodology combined bibliographic review, semi-structured interviews, participant observation, field visits, and photographic records. This qualitative approach allowed for deep engagement with the local context and a comprehensive understanding of construction techniques, material use, and the symbolic dimensions of riverside architecture and watercraft.Findings reveal that riverside architecture extends beyond functional concerns, expressing cultural resilience and environmental intelligence. Stilt houses, for instance, represent adaptive responses to seasonal floods and embody intergenerational environmental knowledge. Similarly, handcrafted wooden boats play a central role in community mobility and local economies. However, a progressive shift from wood to industrial materials has been observed — aluminum in boats and masonry in specific areas of homes, such as bathrooms. While these changes aim to improve comfort or sanitation, they also disrupt traditional knowledge transmission and challenge the sustainability of local practices.The study concludes that riverside ethnoarchitecture is a valuable intangible heritage, whose preservation depends on institutional recognition and public policies that support traditional knowledge systems. The integration of ancestral practices with modern technologies, when guided by community autonomy and cultural respect, may provide sustainable pathways for the future of Amazonian populations.Thus, this thesis contributes to the recognition of ethnoarchitecture as a form of cultural resistance, environmental adaptation, and inspiration for territorial planning in regions facing climate vulnerability. It underscores the importance of interdisciplinary actions that unite tradition, innovation, and socio-environmental justice.