fisherman's refuge by natura futura + juan carlos bamba floats on a river in ecuador

floating close to the shore of babahoyo river in the ecuadorian city of babahoyo, is a small timber dwelling realized by natura futura arquitectura and juan carlos bamba. the project, called ‘fisherman’s refuge’, involved the improvement of an existing storage shed on the river to create a habitable space for local fisherman and canoe repairman, don teodoro.

images courtesy of natura futura arquitectura and juan carlos bamba

with a strong tradition rooted in fishing and river transportation, the floating houses of babahoyo are typical of the area and are an important part of ecuador’s pre-hispanic cultural heritage. however, these settlements are nowadays associated with a high index of unsatisfied basic needs and environmental problems. this intervention, therefore, seeks to retain this architectural vernacular while upgrading it with proper waste control and sanitary services.

the floating house in question belongs to don teodoro, who after 35 years continues to float on a balsa wood raft inherited by his father. despite being worn and in danger of collapsing, don uses the structure to store his equipment. during the day he works in the city and at night he returns to his shelter.

for the project, natura futura and juan carlos bamba proposed the use of laurel wood as it is a traditional resource found on the ecuadorian coast. the first step was to extend the original floating platform structure to create additional space for don to work. the platform is supported by recycled plastic drums under the balsa wood buoys to improve buoyancy. furthermore, the slope and height of the roof have both been increased to allow for cross ventilation and storage spaces.

the accessibility and functionality of the shelter are optimized thanks to a new bridge. slanted wooden panels have been inserted into the envelope for waterproofing and artificial lighting has been added with photovoltaic cells on the banks of the river. with these modest strategies, the existing 9m2 has been totally transformed.

the fisherman’s refuge was a collaborative project between natura futura arquitectura, juan carlos bamba, don teodoro, the community, and other collaborators. financed by donations and volunteers, the project showcases what can be achieved through the active participation of the occupant, the community, and the architect. 

project info:

project name: fisherman’s refuge

location: babahoyo, ecuador

architects: natura futura arquitectura and juan carlos bamba

collaborators: paola romero, karolin elizalde, jhonatan andrade, cristhian bravo, jose ortega, teodoro mina

year: 2020

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom