the eco-sistema installation mirrors the shape of trees in an argentinian forest

designed by young architects, ramiro carro and lucas yael ibarra, ‘eco-sistema’ is a temporary installation realized as a satellite project for hello wood argentina 2020. with the help of volunteers, the structure was built on a rural site outside the village of ceibas in the entre ríos province of argentina. as a network of triangular timber forms the design intends to echo the landscape while defining a new public space as the structure overlaps with the existing forest.

all images courtesy of ramiro carro

the project began by ramiro carro and lucas yael ibarra questioning how to deign a place to both sit and ‘feel’ the surrounding forest. they came up with a simple wooden frame in the shape of an abstracted tree. these frames allow for a small seating area 305 cm above the ground, defined by two opposite sides and contained by inserts of translucent material.

after designing one of these modules, they multiplied them and defined a grid. once at the site, and after choosing the forest they wanted to interact with, the exact position of the trees defined the temporary structure, resulting in the superimposition of both systems, the natural and the devised one.

the next step was to rotate some of the elements to enable different experiences of connection with the natural surroundings. during its construction, the flexibility of the system allowed it to be easily adapted or changed. once each of the modules was assembled, it was easy to move them to try different locations and positions. two forests from different worlds, the physical one and the one of ideas, are now getting older together.

overall the project aims to afford a ‘cyclical experience’ where ‘the wood becomes a forest again but with a new appearance and character’. the inverted trees with roots made out of stars determine a seating area that serves as a support for dialogue: with ourselves, with the place, with others, with everyone. designed as the ‘echo of a community that grows,’ it provides a tranquil place for the superposition of ideas, experiences and emotions.

project info:

project name: eco-sistema

location: ceibas, argentina

design: ramiro carro, lucas yael ibarra

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