cubbil studio and ecuador villagers craft cluster of habitats from earth and thatch

cubbil studio reinterprets ecuador’s vernacular architecture

Along the road that leads to the volcano El Altar in Rio Blanco, Ecuador, Cubbil Studio has shaped a cluster of housing modules from earth and thatch. The architects have collaborated with volunteers from the community for the design and build, with the initiative to foster community tourism and develop shelters that embody the area’s vernacular architecture. 

Across La Bocatoma Housing Modules, the neighboring sector’s prevalent traditional bahareque hut has been reinterpreted, infused with innovative construction expressions. Prefabricated bahareque panels were developed, reducing execution time and wall thickness while maintaining thermal comfort, while the modules were roofed with paramo straw. Focus also fell on promoting community work and transferring knowledge to new generations in both academic and community settings.

the modules dot the mountainous site in rural ecuador

The El Altar volcano, a unique tourist attraction in the region, faces problems on its access route through the Bocatoma del Río Blanco sector, one of which is the lack of adequate facilities for the development of community tourism. Cubbil Studio thus began with the implementation of the accommodation modules, funded by the National Institute of Cultural Heritage (INPC) as one of the winning projects in the 2022 competition for the Lines for the Promotion of Traditional/Vernacular Architecture.

With views of the mountains and the exuberant flora and fauna of the moorlands, the structures are dotted at various heights across the communal plot of the Zoila Martínez Agricultural Workers Association, which has quite an irregular topographical support. Each is strategically built on the mountain to take advantage of the Andean landscape, the songs of the birds, and the gush of water springs, generating unique moorland sensations. The architects‘ use of local materials also enhances ancestral techniques and preserves the natural environment.

project info:

name: La Bocatoma Housing Modules — Quimiag
architect: Cubbil Studio

design lead: Yajaira Alexandra Ruiz Chiriboga

location: Ecuador

photography: Andrés Villota | @andres.v.fotografia

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