This publication (in Spanish) shares practical ideas for addressing common climate impacts in low-income neighbourhoods, particularly heatwaves and flooding, through accessible explanations supported by drawings, plans and photographs. It is designed for self-builders seeking to improve their homes and shared public spaces using construction materials and techniques typical of central Argentina.
The manual is inspired by the Practical Construction Manual, also known as the “Hornero Manual,” originally created in the 1980s by Jaime Nisnovich. Over the years, that manual became a highly effective, user-oriented tool that has supported countless families in building and repairing their homes. Building on this legacy, the new manual adapts its pedagogical style to contemporary climate challenges.
The manual offers guidance for organizing participatory processes to design and build Nature-based Solutions that integrate vegetation, shaded areas and permeable surfaces into passageways, streets, and plazas. These strategies have already been implemented in two neighbourhoods in Argentina: Barrio 20 in Buenos Aires and Barrio Moreno in Rosario. Barrio 20 is a high-density settlement of approximately 9,600 families, while Barrio Moreno is a lower-density community of about 700 families. The successful application in both contexts demonstrates how the proposed solutions can be adapted to diverse urban conditions within informal settlements.
In addition, the manual explains how to install sensors to collect data on temperature, humidity and particulate matter and how to set up community-based monitoring system. It also presents ideas for improving housing conditions through better ventilation, thermal insulation, green roofs and vertical gardens.
The development of the manual was led by the Barrio 20 Urban Lab and the participatory space in Barrio Moreno, with support from the Transformative Urban Coalitions project.