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MAD Architects unveils plans for Quito’s tallest tower as their first South American project

2023-05-02T10:53:00-04:00

MAD Architects has unveiled their first project in South America with the Qondesa tower in Quito, Ecuador. When completed, the mixed-use residential and commercial building is set to be the tallest in the city.

Image credit: Mir

According to the design team, the scheme is inspired by its natural surroundings, with an architectural form “growing from the earth to the sky.” The external twisting facade seeks to emulate twisting vines coming to a taper at the top. The building’s form was also shaped so as to avoid blocking natural light and views from surrounding buildings.

Image credit: Plomp

“Quito, a city of coexisting contrasts influenced by its diverse ecosystems, ethnicities, and traditions, is the capital of Ecuador and a UNESCO world heritage site, which features the best-preserved and least altered historic center in South America,” MAD said about the scheme in a statement. “Soon to be Quito’s tallest building, MAD aspires to offer a design solution for integrating nature into h...

BIG and Safdie complete jagged new tower additions to Quito's skyline

2022-12-07T05:00:00-05:00

A pair of landmark projects in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito is now complete, representing firsts for both BIG and Safdie Architects, respectively.

QORNER, the 24-story Safdie-designed tower, is the firm’s first residential project on the continent and serves as an extension of its founder’s indoor-outdoor vision with garden terrace-lined residential offerings from the micro-apartment to the penthouse level.

IQON (left) and QORNER (right). Image courtesy of Uribe Schwarzkopf.

QORNER. Image courtesy of Uribe Schwarzkopf.

Its northern facade features a living green wall that defines a vertical core, while the staggering of its eastern and western facades creates a “hillside” form resembling a “cliff face” with room for double-height corner terraces with views of neighboring La Carolina Park.

QORNER. Image courtesy of Uribe Schwarzkopf.

Finally, a tree-lined infinity pool is placed on the rooftop level in a nod to their iconic Marina Bay Sand...

Construction update: Three new buildings by Safdie Architects represent the legacy of Habitat 67

2021-08-14T09:00:00-04:00

Safdie Architects has an update on three ongoing projects it says are direct ties to the lineage of founder Moshe Safdie’s seminal work that opened 54 years ago in Montreal.

New buildings in Ecuador and Sri Lanka are nearing completion, and a new development is about to break ground on the next phase of a contemporary version of the Habitat in Qinhuangdao, China.

Qinhuangdao Phase II. Courtesy of Safdie Architects.

The three projects together represent “the realization of more than 50 years of study on how to improve urban living.” Each development is marked with the same stepped profile, privacy, and garden terrace design taken from the original Habitat. The sum total is a reflection of the eye-opening realizations about urban life the 83-year-old Safdie says were brought on by the pandemic.

Qinhuangdao Phase II. Courtesy of Safdie Architects.

Per the architect: “Over the past year, there has been a rediscovery of the interdependence between nature and society. We have seen an outcr...

Phase one of Jean Nouvel's Ecuadorian residential complex is underway

2020-12-11T14:01:00-05:00

In the mountains of Ecuador's Cymbayá valley stands Jean Nouvel's latest residential project, Aquarela. In collaboration with local architecture developer Uribe Schwarzkopf, a new complex will transform the area into nine residential spaces.

Initial construction began in 2017, and the 136,580-square meter project is warping up phase one of its development. The 650 unit project aims to "echo" the surrounding environment with its lush greenery overflowing the stone covered balconies. The project team worked with Uribe Schwarzkopf to maintain their sustainability focus by following an "eco-efficiency matrix dictating the conscious use of materials to generate the least possible impact on the environment."

Image courtesy of Ateliers Jean Nouvel

The design team explains the new residential complex will "create harmony between the building and the physical features of the landscape rather than disrupt the valley's ...

Carlos Zapata Studio designs residential tower in Ecuador featuring a 3-story open-air communal area

2020-12-02T15:33:00-05:00

Developer Uribe Schwarzkopf and architects Carlos Zapata Studio unveiled its first project together. Called "Unique," the 24-story mixed-use residential tower is located in Quito, Ecuador. One of its defining features is a three-story communal area at the midpoint of the building, which features a pool and outdoor lounge, and vertical gardens, dividing the lower and upper levels.

The 99-unit tower is located at the heart of a metropolitan and residential district close to La Carolina park, which offers generous green space, business districts, and bars and restaurants.

"As our first residential building in Ecuador, we were inspired by Quito’s particular geographical setting – the surrounding valleys and the Andes mountains and volcanoes, the busy city streets, and ample green space," said Carlos Zapata in a statement. "It’s always exciting to make your mark on a skyline, and we wanted to represent Quito properly and embrace its bountiful natural surroundings and dynamic community."

T...

Galapagos island to host US military base

2019-06-19T15:15:00-04:00

US aircraft will be able to use San Cristobal airport, Ecuador's defence minister Oswaldo Jarrin has been quoted as saying. The reported deal has prompted concerns over the potential impact on the environment and Ecuador's sovereignty.

The BBC reports that under a new agreement with the government of Ecuador, United States military aircraft will be allowed to use an airfield on the island of San Cristobal to "fight drug trafficking."

The islands are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for their rich biological and ecological diversity. The plan has alarmed conservationists and Ecuadorian patriots, alike. The BBC reports, for example, that Ecuador's constitution regards the nation as "a territory of peace" and that the "establishment of foreign military bases or foreign facilities for military purposes shall not be allowed."

The extent of US military operations on the island is not yet known, but Telesur reports that the forces are expected to make "modifications" of some sort to the island, according to Ecuador's defense minister Oswaldo Jarrin.

BIG's latest development in Quito, Ecuador pulls influence from the city's color and topography

2019-05-01T18:54:00-04:00

This week, Bjarke Ingles Group announced its latest project in Quito, Ecuador. Titled EPIQ, the mixed-use residential and commercial building will be a new "vertical city" in Quito's green neighborhood of Parque La Carolina. Driven by sustainable design priniples, BIG strives to incorporate a diverse collection of eco-friendly solutions within the development. From a greywater treatment plan to re-use rainwater, to recycled building materials and a climate-conscious structural design, BIG aims to utilize these initiatives to aid the city and its inhabitants.

Image rendering of EPIQ. Image courtesy of Camron NY

The structure consists of two divided blocks merging to form a 24-story tower, with open green spaces found throughout the structure—a key feature. Rather than having a singular rooftop, BIG focused on various parts of the building to have its own exterior space. Said to enco...

Bjarke Ingels Group designs "urban tree farm" that will become Quito's tallest building

2018-10-15T14:49:00-04:00

Rising 33-stories, the stack of concrete boxes that will make up the IQON tower in Quito, Ecuador, will become the city's tallest building. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, the firm's first project in South America recently began construction.

Image by Bjarke Ingels Group.

Plans for the residential tower involve the creation of an 'urban tree farm'—"we are letting La Carolina park climb up and into the building by planting native trees and plants on the terraces," says the architects. Each terrace will host a different species of tree, allowing the building's façade to celebrate the country's biodiversity.

Image by Bjarke Ingels Group.

But, the scheme goes beyond the typical phenomenon of vertical forests by incorporating the trees into part of a green cycle. "Once the vegetation planted on the terraces of the building outgrows their planters, they can be replanted in parks all over the city," the firm explains.

Image by Bjarke Ingels Group.

The design is...

Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Laurinda Spear, Philippe Starck and Marcel Wanders transform the urban landscape of Quito

2017-03-20T18:19:00-04:00

Designers Philippe Starck and Marcel Wanders, and architects Bernardo Fort-Brescia and Laurinda Spear (Arquitectonica), along with the ecuadorian architect Tommy Schwarzkopf from Uribe & Schwarzkopf are responsible for this transforming moment in the ecuadorian architecture.

Quito, the capital of Ecuador and the first Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is in the process of renewing its urban and architectural image. Four architectural projects designed by important international studios, which are being built simultaneously, contribute decisively in this process, while others are in the design process.

Oh Residencias, Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Laurinda Spear, Arquitectonica and Marcel Wanders, Tommy Schwarzkopf, Uribe & Schwarzkopf, Quito, Ecuador

YOO CUMBAYA / Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Laurinda Spear, Philippe Starck , Tommy Schwarzkopf, Uribe & Schwarzkopf, Quito, Ecuador

The construction of a new transportation system; the subway and the exit of the airport from the heart of the city, have mad...

Shigeru Ban arrives in Ecuador to train locals in relief architecture

2016-04-29T14:25:00-04:00

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban is once more jumping into disaster-relief efforts. The cardboard-wielding starchitect traveled to Ecuador earlier this week [...] to provide architectural training and brainpower in the wake of the deadly earthquake April 16 earthquake, which has killed more than 650 people and displaced another 26,000 from their homes.

The Colegio de Arquitectos del Ecuador Provincial de Pichincha issued this statement on its website (Google-translated from the original Spanish text):

"The Association of Architects of Ecuador, Pichincha Chapter (CAE-P) and the Pan American Architecture Biennial of Quito, officially announced the arrival of the Japanese architect Shigeru Ban because of the events that took place following the seismic event occurred on April 16 in the coastal area of Ecuador. The winner of the Pritzker prize expressed his solidarity with the moment in the country and has expressed interest in visiting the affected area and provide training sessions under these circumstances in the capital city."

Death toll climbs to 350 after powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake hits Ecuador

2016-04-18T17:46:00-04:00

The death toll rose to 350 on Monday from a devastating earthquake that hit Ecuador at the weekend, as rescuers hunted for survivors, victims clamored for aid and looting broke out in the Andean nation's shattered coastal region. More than 2,000 people were injured in Saturday night's 7.8 magnitude quake, which ripped apart buildings and roads and knocked out power along the Pacific coastline.