Architects and Designers: Natura Futura Arquitectura
Location: Babahoyo, Ecuador
Year: 2021
Concept: Local timber construction, adaptive reuse, lightweight pavilion
Photos by Francesco Russo
La Habitación del Té by Natura Futura Arquitectura is a small timber pavilion that transforms two abandoned concrete bridge supports into a place for gathering and reflection. Located within an agricultural landscape in Babahoyo, Ecuador, the project uses wood to introduce a lighter and more adaptable layer onto an existing piece of infrastructure.
The timber structure is elevated above the water channel, creating a delicate framework that can open and close depending on the needs of the space and the surrounding climate. Folding timber lattice panels and sliding glass elements allow the pavilion to shift between an enclosed room and an open platform connected to the landscape.
What makes the project particularly interesting is the contrast between the rough permanence of the existing concrete and the warmth and flexibility of the timber intervention. Built with locally sourced wood and traditional craftsmanship, the pavilion demonstrates how a small timber structure can completely change the perception of a place, giving new life to what was already there rather than building something entirely new.
See more on the [ArchDaily] website: La habitación del té / Natura Futura