Fundamentos House
The house is located in a residential neighborhood of the city of Loja, at 2,060 meters above sea level in the lower Andes in southern Ecuador. Situated on a small plot of 7.60 m x 13.50 m, this project seeks to reflect on issues related to the structural principle in the definition of architecture and spatial flexibility as a design resource.
The structure as the generator of the project
The house is built with exposed reinforced concrete, simultaneously resolving the internal and formal spatial order of the architecture. The use of bearing elements is limited to what is strictly necessary, granting simplicity and clarity to the structural solution, solved with two lateral shear walls and two intermediate diaphragms that allow ample spatiality and fluidity within each floor. The structure establishes the spatial order of the house and serves as a support for various spatial configurations inside. From the exterior, the main volume of 5 meters in width stands out with a 3-meter cantilever towards the street, forming on the ground floor a flexible open patio for children's play next to the house's productive area.
The principle of spatial flexibility
The house is conceived as a four-level spatial container designed to accommodate various uses and users. The ground floor and basement are configured as independent work areas, directly connected to the street, allowing residents to engage in productive or entrepreneurial activities without altering the domestic environment. The upper floors, intended for residential use, are designed to offer the possibility of reconfiguration in the future, either as additional workspaces or independent living units. This interior flexibility ensures that the house can adapt to the changing needs of its occupants over time.
The house presents itself as an architectural solution that responds to the contemporary needs of its users while sensitively adapting to and connecting with the topography and landscape. From the interior of the upper floors, a low parapet frames the views toward the Andes Mountains, while laterally, an inverted parapet, hanging from the ceiling, visually connects with a tree planted in the ground-floor patio. These strategies not only enrich the visual experience from within but also take advantage of the favorable orientation towards the morning sun, integrating the house harmoniously with its surroundings.
