'From wood to concrete' is an architecture study that shows the social and economic lifestyle changes in Laos. A nation which, under the influence of neighboring China, is rapidly changing political direction, shifting the current communist one-party democracy, to a mixed capitalism. Through the residential architecture we can see some signals of this political and economic process that risks to kill the local cultures, generating new social problems. The new lifestyle and the lack of architectural design encourages to possession of electrical equipment unused until a few years ago. Thus, the growing demand for electricity pushes the Laotian government to realize giant dams on the Mekong, that are killing one of the main dietary sources of the country: the fishing; and that could do irreparable damage to the entire eco-system of the area and affect relations between the countries of Indochina, as shown in recent news.
