bjarke ingels group announces EPIQ, its second building in quito, ecuador

bjarke ingels group reveals imagery of EPIQ, its second building in quito, ecuador. the sweeping, porous structure clad in colored tiles echoes the city’s vibrant natural beauty and expresses a new sustainable urbanism. anchored between the historic la carolina park and a major metro station of the city’s soon-to-open first underground line, the 24-story building is situated at an intersection of quito’s past, present, and future. comprised by a single tower in two divided blocks, EPIQ is conceived as a ‘vertical city’ that extends the natural environment of the adjacent park into its structure. the space’s mixed-use residential, corporate, and commercial units allow light and landscape to seep through the building, connecting the park to its context, rather than separating it.

all images courtesy of bjarke ingels group

the project is conceived and developed by bjarke ingels group in partnership with uribe & schwarzkopf, the leading architectural planning, design, and construction company in the city. the design of EPIQ reflects the colors and patterns of ecuador, expressing in its façade the earth tones and herringbone-patterned tilework of quito’s old city, a UNESCO world heritage site. the facade further echoes the colors of the city’s striking sunsets, the andean flora and fauna, and the weavings of the toquilla straw. EPIQ features clusters of shared exterior spaces throughout the building, rather than one singular rooftop. these areas generate a communal atmosphere and opportunities for interaction between the residents of the building. showcasing a sweeping view over the city, the andes mountain range, and the nearby pichincha volcano, EPIQ is immersed in nature in the midst of the city.

bjarke ingels comments: ‘the historical center of quito with its red herringbone sidewalks is a bombardment of forms, geometry, typography and color. at the south tip of la carolina park, our aim is to create a three dimensional community: a constellation of building volumes of different sizes that form a holistic whole offering the residents and their families a variety of sun filled openings, passages, parks and pockets for play, social life, work and enjoyment. as architects we are often a little afraid to play with color — in quito we thought it could be interesting to use color to accentuate the different building blocks and give each volume its own shade of red.’