丨厄瓜多尔丨Taller General

Architects:Taller General

Area:299m²

Year:2024

Photographs:JAG Studio,Alex Santander

Category:Houses

Collaborators:Santiago León, Cerrotecec, Las Manos Sucias

Structural Calculations:Miguel Morales

Construction:Taller General

City:Machachi

Country:Ecuador

Text description provided by the architects. The Miradora is a dwelling located in the central highlands of Ecuador, in the páramo ecosystem at 3403 meters above sea level. The elongated plot has access on one end from a local road and, on the other, a large ravine. On either side, neighboring prairies and large volcanoes define the location of the house. It sits at the highest point of the lot and takes advantage of a slight slope to open up to all views and organize its interior.

The house is primarily occupied by a couple who occasionally have family visits. This condition is reflected in the spatial organization of the house. On the upper level, which offers a wide view in all directions, the spaces necessary for the main users are located, along with a small lookout loft that opens to the north and south, where the nearest and most prominent volcanoes rise in the surroundings. The lower level, which is smaller due to the slope, is activated when there are visitors and allows for accommodating more users.

Since the upper floor of the house is mainly used, a direct connection to the outside is resolved through a ramp that allows for both circulation and viewing. This ramp is located on one side of the house and, although covered, is an exterior pathway that creates a gradual transition between the interior of the house and the land.

The dialogue with the natural environment is also evident in the functioning of the house; a set of solar panels provides electricity to the interior, and gray and black waters are treated through grease traps, a biodigester, and a wetland, which after passing through a small lagoon are infiltrated into the ground.

The house is supported by ten wooden ribs, porticos composed of 4 pieces with different inclinations that aim to close upward, providing greater shelter on the upper floor. These porticos rest, on the north side, on a brick base that follows its inclination and disappears when the height allows for the existence of the lower floor.

On the south side, where the ramp is located, the lower pieces of each rib change in length, adapting to the slope of the ground, and at the same time, become metallic to withstand rain and direct sunlight. The porticos, arranged every 2.44 meters, create large eaves that protect the wood from rain and the interior from the sun. This modulation is altered to support the loft for a wider view. In the lower levels of this alteration, the wet areas and the covered parking are resolved.

The materiality arises from a contextual analysis that seeks to highlight nature and the local but also considers the exposure capacities of each material to the local climate; the manufacturing availability in the market, and the speed of execution. No coverings, plasters, or materials that hide the structure are used, which minimizes construction waste; for this, the design is defined in detail from the outset, and the training of the workforce in the construction process becomes essential. With artisans from different specialties (metal, wood, ceramics, fabric), details such as lamps, fixed bathroom furniture, storage, stairs, curtains, divisions, and more are also resolved.

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