Wood, the material that made Misiones

2023-08-10 -

Houses and temples, but also public buildings and even large sheds were built from trees in the area. Colonization and state works arising from provincialization are notable examples of this. Historical structures are still standing like the first day, while others lacked proper maintenance. The attempts to take advantage of the potential that Misiones has, demolish myths and position the forestry industry in the country and the world.

Durability, resistance, beauty, high insulating value, represent some of the characteristics of wood. It is sustainable because the manufacturing process involves a lower carbon footprint compared to materials such as steel or concrete. Carbon footprint studies show that wood is the most environmentally sustainable material compared to competitors such as steel, concrete or aluminum. "The 21st century is about wood, its use revalues forests and contributes to sustainable building constructions, the future will be built with wood," says forestry engineer Jaime Ledesma, president of the College of Forestry Engineers of Misiones (COIFORM). “Steel was the material of the 19th century and concrete of the 20th century. Wood will be that of the 21st century”, were the words pronounced at the beginning of the century by the architect Alex de Rijk, dean of the Faculty of Architecture of the Royal College of Art in London, and they are on the way to becoming premonitory. International media highlight the increase in interest in the world of architecture in using wood as a structural material.
This is good news for a highly polluted world and represents almost a nostalgia for the immigrants who, as soon as they arrived in Misiones, found enough wood and began to build the first precarious homes or shared spaces based on wood. It is a very appreciated material because it can be arched, shaped and an excellent thermal insulator. The above are just a few aspects that account for why it has been used for thousands of years in the world. Its use is constant in European countries, Japan, the United States and Russia, as is also the case in this part of the world.
a city of wood
In fact, seeking a more sustainable world, in Stockholm, Sweden, construction will begin in two years and is expected to be completed in the same period, the first city built entirely of wood. It is also planned to build a football stadium, called Eco Park England, which will be the first entirely made of wood. Nowadays, the use of wood in this type of buildings has been resumed, mainly in first world countries. In addition to its advantages as a natural, ecological, renewable, carbon storage material, among other characteristics, it has been imposed due to a question of safety against fires and earthquakes, contrary to what can intuitively be assumed because it is a flammable material”, highlights Helga Vogel. , professor at the Faculty of Forestry Sciences of the National Unit of Missions and wood engineer.
Many immigrants who arrived in Tierra Colorada brought some models of constructions that were embodied in important buildings in Tierra Colorada. In the case of Misiones, the durability of wood in large constructions was demonstrated, many with their immense structures intact, which are what we call wooden giants.
Some were built for economic purposes, as in Eldorado with Warehouse 15 of the Eldorado Agricultural Cooperative, in Puerto Pinares, or social purposes, such as the Cine América at kilometer 9 whose building was rebuilt and the Club Unión Cultural y Deportiva Eldorado. Many other nuns, as evidenced by numerous temples, remain standing, such as the Mother of God Czestochowa (Patroness of Poland) chapel, inaugurated in 1948 and built entirely of wood, as well as lodgings and hotels, such as those existing in different parts of the province.
The intensive and current use of wood, transformed Misiones together with Corrientes, for having highly developed forest industries, into timber poles of national relevance that still awaits interest for greater use of houses or parts of houses in constructions carried out by governments from other provinces.