Quito

Mezze Residence #2 is part of a set of four private houses located in Quito, Ecuador, on the Tumbaco Valley, on the northwestern foothills of the Ilaló inactive Volcano.   The preexistence of many avocado and lemon trees on the site, and the direct views of the volcano where the precursors of many design decisions which had to be weaved with the owners requirements to have a house that required to have seemingly opposite qualities of privacy and transparency.  Thru the main access, a great avocado tree welcomes the frontal façade which embodies the spirit of privacy with a concrete volume that, has almost no openings, and folds diagonally to the main wood entrance door. Upon entering, the natural environment is re... More

The AS house seeks to complement a simple, comfortable life without worries in a privileged place surrounded by nature and tranquility. The family that owns the house wanted to stay connected and live in their day to day, so it was essential to maintain an open house scheme. We also wanted to take full advantage of the views and the relationship that Puembo houses can have with the exterior. The house seeks to adapt to contemporary life but also seeks materials that are timeless. A white volume is wrapped by a stone wall that becomes the protagonist of the house and is used to separate the private from the public area. It is also a protagonist in lighting where both natural light from an entrance in the ceiling, and artificial lighting from... More

Located in the center of the financial district in Quito, Ecuador Solidario Bank has a structure built in the 80's. The internal space of this floor had never remodeled, so the configuration was not very flexible, and the spaces were dark and very partitioned.We decided to tear apart all the interior walls, and create a very open and collaborative space, where the work positions were organized in an open plan.We left the original ceilings of the building untouched in some areas, and painted them in a light corporate color, and used contrast with plain white ceilings to mark off the working spacesSome private offices and meeting rooms were closed with glass partitions, not interrupting the visual communication between the spaces and the conc... More

The office is located in the heart of the financial district in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. The floor is divided in 2 areas, one for the faculty and workers, meeting rooms and conference rooms, and the other half for classrooms and student areas.In the center the reception area welcomes the visitors, with a lounge where staff, visitors and students can rest or wait for their next class. Since the ceilings were not that high, we decided to play with them in different ways. In most areas we took them completely away and painted them in black to make them “disappear”. In the classrooms, where more lighting, sound and projection was needed, we used lower ceilings to cover all the installations.Most of the office concept is open space, and wh... More

Located in Zambiza, a rural parish located north-east of the city of Quito, the work is implanted on a rectangular terrain of 11m wide by 42m long, which, the tectonic character of the house, Stresses the relationship with the landscape and the place. As the first design operation, the flat horizontal plane is established as a predominant element on the natural inclined plane (customer requirement), which generates an intention to fly towards the horizon, as if it were a spring. These design intentions are referred to conceptual systems, in this case, a search of contrast and spatial balance that manifests between the functional and artistic, between order and expression, between heavy and light, opaque and transparent, Thus producing c... More

Quito, the capital of Ecuador and the first Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is in the process of renewing its urban and architectural image. Four architectural projects designed by important international studios, which are being built simultaneously, contribute decisively in this process, while others are in the design process. Designers Philippe Starck and Marcel Wanders, and architects Bernardo Fort-Brescia and Laurinda Spear (Arquitectonica), along with the ecuadorian architect Tommy Schwarzkopf from Uribe & Schwarzkopf are responsible for this transforming moment in the ecuadorian architecture. The construction of a new transportation system; the subway and the exit of the airport from the heart of the city, have made poss... More

Möen is a block of flats and comercial premises which is based on the concept of healthy living and sustainable. It gives department owners a quality life and relationship with the city. Moen has six floors and two basements built in steel structures. Twenty-eight apartments with diferent services such as a spa, a gourmet coffee bar and a children's entertainment center. To meet the client goals ENNE arquitectos designed a building with big windows in the north and south part that takes advantage of the day light, while in the east and west the facades, quiebrasoles and balconies absorb heat creating a comfortable environment. Although power consumption is low charge in Ecuador, light sensors were installed in the hall ways and parkin... More