Meeting with Notable People

Meeting with Notable People: Science and Bioconstruction

During the 2022 construction process of Pampas del Zonda in San Juan, a remarkable synergy unfolded between two seemingly distant worlds: academic biology and ancestral bioconstruction.

While we were working on the station, a providential meeting took place. A group of distinguished biologists from the Azara Foundation, led by Claudio Bertonatti, Hernán Ibáñez, Carlos Balboa, and Fidel Baschetto (who at the time directed the Córdoba Zoo), coincided with our team in the province. For three days, we shared a living space at a historic finca in the Zonda Valley. The setting—a traditional mud-brick house from the early 20th century—served as the perfect sanctuary for a profound exchange of knowledge between these scientists and our master bioconstructors, Tamalet and Froilán Paz.

This dialogue proved instrumental in the final design of the station’s infrastructure. From these conversations, we conceptualized and refined the subterranean tunnel systems designed to connect the external entrances with the internal modules. Our goal was to replicate natural conditions with architectural precision, leading us to apply specific biological criteria for different species.

For the foxes, we engineered a specialized dual-tunnel system joined at a 45-degree angle. This specific geometry was designed to ensure that the interior of the den remained invisible from the entrance, providing the animals with the absolute security and privacy they require in the wild.
In contrast, for the cuises (yellow-toothed cavies), we implemented a direct-access tunnel system at ground level. The results were exceptional and, in some ways, surprising. While designed for the cavies, these spaces became a thriving micro-habitat, eventually becoming the preferred residence for field mice and a pair of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia).

The success of this collaboration was eventually validated by nature itself: we were able to document that both types of spaces were not only utilized for shelter but became sites for the successful breeding and birth of new litters, marking a milestone in the integration of scientific conservation and sustainable building.