natura futura arquitectura's proyecto chacras is a catalyst for social transformation

located in the province of el oro, ecuador, the town of chacras appears like an old western movie, full of historical references by its proximity to its neighboring peru (manuelita saenz, simon bolivar’s romantic partner lived here). the owner, don velfor, who lost his home in the ecuador earthquake in april this year, found refuge in an area of 12 x 10 meters partially occupied by his mother-in-law here. the project was conducted in may 2016 in a period of 10 days. natura futura arquitecturain collaboration with cronopios-el oro (a collective dedicated to cultural management) carried out the different processes. after creating the design, they called for the press, digital media and word of mouth’s help, for people around the country to donate materials and tools, and volunteers to gather to execute the project; these were trained to perform the various daily missions that brought the project to life.

all images courtesy of natura futura arquitectura

the house proposed by natura futura arquitectura is based on three bodies; two used for sleeping and one for kitchen and living room, with optional progressive growth towards the outside platform. the distance of the high terrain house protects the structure from moisture while allowing a constant flow of air under the floor. the altitude of the roof and open spaces plus the transparency of the windows create a cross ventilation at all times. the ceiling has a feeling like a large flying hat that protects the house, providing shade and protecting it from the rain.

from the inside

the constancy of the pallet modules defines the windows whose spacing allows light to leak onto the interior, generating whimsical shadows. the low floor level windows also function as escape doors for the little ones; they embrace recreational possibilities facing a space that encourages fluency. the front wide door articulates the kitchenette with its shelves made of recycled baskets used for fruit expand the platform space.

the house occupied by the family and community

the team proposed strategies to shore up the family’s economy, affected by the work hiatus and relocation. the first idea was to create a family garden that will arise a new spirit of livelihood. this garden filled tires made with ground sown renews hope in children who embrace it as their own project. the whole project included don velfor in a process of learning-by-doing so he can replicate what he learned in basic construction, in order to establish an economic activity within the region. a big space for communal events was prompt, generating revenues for the family where they can sell snacks or lunches.

from the inside at night 

curtains are used to separate spaces

upcycled tires were used to create a home orchard

the house and the community 

the bedroom 

the construction process was held with the help of the community

children prepare the garden with recycled tires

explosion isometric view

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: juliana neira | designboom

Save