2. INDEX
Chunchi Hotel/Bike Park (Thesis Project) Idrovo O. House in Tumbaco
Interpretation Center-Bridge
The Sculptor House
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3. CHUNCHI
HOTEL/
BIKE
PARK
(Academic)Thesis Project 08/2011 to 07/2012
Tutor: Jaime Lopez-Juan Erazo
“the nation´s future would depend on the accesibility,
for everyone in our community, of the means to develop
their innate abillities”. Morris Carstairs (Mathews,2007)
Since the beggining of my studies, i have
always searched for innovation and projects
that suggest beauty and work as a flexible
tool for the pretended users. The thesis
project was the opportunity to orientate
this thoughts in a single big project.
Chunchi is a small town strategically lo-
cated in the center of the ecuadorian Andes
range. The town is well known for its spec-
tacular sunset and because it posses the
highest index range of suicides in Ecuador.
The reason is believed to be the lack of
work opportunity an the inmigrations of its
adults habitants.40% of its habitants are
between 8 and 25 years old.
After investigating Heidegger texts like
“the thing”, “Building/Dwelling/Thinking”
and the philosophical origins of Critical
Regionalism, I learned that architecture can
work as a catalizer, a major tool to civili-
zation, in which at least can give an oppor-
tunity to develope an stable economy.
The particularities and unique characteris-
tics of the town are its sunset and hundreds
of kilometers of singletracks that have been
made by the natives over the years. Farmers
have not created limits or instal fences in
their territories, animals are tethered, so
everyone can use the pads. Pads that can
become a paradise for mountain bikers and
hikers. This is what lead me to the project.
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4. sketch for the Chunchi station/Cable car
The Project searches to find the relation-
ship between the place and architeture, in
its physical and social contet. based on the
study of Critical Regionalism and its philo-
sophical origins. Heidegger, philosopher of
big influence in architectural theory,
writes his essays about architecture like
“Building,Dwelling, Thinking” or “The
Thing”, where he refers to the relationsship
object/thing with its environment in the
world; and his book “Being and Time” where
he relates the main being of man with the
world that sorrounds him. After I continued
studing the Critical Regionalism tendency,
in which the main idea is exposed as how
should architecture relate with the univer-
sal and the regional, in a way of resist-
ance. Starting from those parameters i found
a very particular situation in the town of
Chunchi-Chimborazo. Here, exists a conflict
between the being of the community, with the
place and globalization. analizing the
social, economical and intelectual situa-
tion, we reach to propose a project that can
convert the place, joined with architecture,
in a facilitator and regenerator of the so-
ciety an the town. I think that a proposal
of a program, based on the relationship of
the attributions of the zone, can be a crea-
tor of possibilities for its dwellers. The
hotel and the Bike Park search to be the
reason for the town to begin its regenera-
tion.
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ABOUT
THE
PROJECT
5. The first task to do when arriving the town, was getting to know the people that lived there. I knew most of the population was
young but what i found is that almost everyone are kids and young people living withouth their parents,(living with their
grandparents)trying to find an activity to do. After interviewing them, the main problem they indentify was the lack of work and a
guide or a parent reference to follow. The majority had left school and live with the salary their inmigrants parents send them
every month. Skateboarding and sports mean for them a way out from Alcoholism and dead.
The town is sorrounded by mountains and more mountains. By car you can arrive from 1800m of altitude to 3800m in about 30 min.
Just in Chunchi, the Andes brokes his chain of mountains in the west side, for instance the view can reach the coast, this is why
the sunset is so special. Visiting the communities that sorround Chunchi is very interesting because you get to know the roads
and incredible pads that guide you to amazing views and landscapes. The idea started to make sense, something that combines nice
views, the mountains and sports was needed. For more information about the interviews and the scenario please visit this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzs-w1a5ewA
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CHUNCHI
SOLUTIONS
ANALYSIS
CONTEXT
6. Having indentified the strategic places of the town, it is necessary that the town itself convert in a complete hotel, spreading punctual small projects.
The resort town will take some period of time, so the project must be done in stages. Starting with the main attractions to get known will give the guideline to
follow a process of transformation. If tourists arrive the town, they will need somewhere to stay, and if they stay, they would like to have a great expereince. To
begin, A simple but cool Hotel(area in green) with basic rooms/services and a 1km Cable CAr from Chunchi(area in yellow) to Capsol(area in orange) is PROJECTED.
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CHUNCHI
SOLUTIONS
ANALYSIS
CONTEXT
over the clouds
overtheclouds
VIEW DIRECTIONING EAST (3D TOPOGRAPHY)
VIEW DIRECTIONING WEST
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CHUNCHI
STATION/
CABLE
CAR
The cable Car`s design is inspired by the derivation of several expe-
riences as a traveler and the simple meaning of being a communicator a
transportator. The form is based on a megaphone, the texture is taken
from the buganvilias roofs in Positano and the garden of the Jewish
Museum in Berlin. The intention, is to delight the user with the tex-
ture and light, and in addition to give a sensation of tunel and tran-
sition. The vegetal and natural skin also search that the object dont
loose its relationship from being a tool for an outdoor activity. It
represents the door for experiencing one of the best sunsets in the
world in another way.
9. 9
CAPSOL
STATION/
CABLE
CAR
At Capsol, the design is more simple. The idea is that when arriving
they have all the open panorama to watch the pads or the zone the
visitors would like to visit by walk, or in a bike. Pads are every-
where no matter if you start pedaling from Chunchi or from Capsol.
You just need to choose one and go.
11. The hotel is located at the edge of the town so the view to the West and the sunset could never be interrupted. The zone where the Hotel is located has
free terrains and has a good potential to be developed with retails and shops arround it, to serve as suppliers. The Intention of the big hall and the
vertical garden facade is to somehow make the interior a semi public space. Visitors could get to know each other a share their experiences. All rooms
and the Cafeteria are oriented to the west, with an excellent view to the sunset and the coast.The hotel is also oriented for mountain bikers who will
arrive with their bike, have their private bike parking lot and use it to transport themselves to any place in the town. The Bicycle tendency can help
the town in becoming a pure air zone. the smaller the town is, the easier is to get people to go on a bike. For a brieve information about the design
of the projects please visit this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef8WSP5dm9Y
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CHUNCHI
HOTEL
16. (Personal) Project 01/2009 to 11/2010
Authors: Carlos Idrovo-Santiago Idrovo
In 2009, While cursing my 3th year of
university, my Dad Carlos(Chemical Engineer)
decided to build his house. We are a family
of 15 but the house was going to be occupied
by 3 people and the always visitors. It took
us almost a year to complete the design,
accomplishing all the requirements of the
family. A big Kitchen, a Porche connected to
the garden, as with the dinner,the living
room,and the kitchen. A covered garage con-
nected with the cellar, the kitchen and a
studio. A visitor`s room, my room and the
master room. We connected all the spaces in
a parameter of privacy light, view and area.
The terrain has a magnificent tree that has
kept growing since we arrived here, the
public spaces have a direct view to it and
it gives control light to the house.
The construction took us another year, here
i had the great experience to observe how
building worked and how was organized.
Since we started dwelling our house it has
been maybe the best experience as a family
to have designed our own house and use it.
With a big family the house need to be
always prepared to welcome from little to
massive meetings, and off course keep its
permanent dwellers happy. Until now, it has
responded perfectly.
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IDROVO O.
HOUSE
IN
TUMBACO
20. (Academic)Structural Formation Workshop Spring semester 09/10
Tutor: Victor Viteri-Carlos Castro
Located near the Pichincha mountain and at
the same time in middle of the west side of
Quito city, the location had 2 parameters of
view. Sorrounded by nature and with a nice
view to the city.
The Task was to create a bridge that cross a
river(21m) and at the same time serve as
place of exhibition for archeological
pieces. As a Bridge, it had to support 32
pounds of weight, the model had to be made
with balsa wood and glue at a scale 1:50
also It had to have just 3 points of support
for all the structure.
The Bridge was a succes because the design
was light, very resistant and functional.
The reason is that when builted it was
thought as a large beam turned up side down.
Somehow I learned this at the Sagrada Fa-
milia from Gaudi. The bridge had a small
concave curvature so when the weight was
inserted the bridge worked as a fork and did
not collapsed. the program is organized in a
way that the user has the option to just
cross the other side or enter to watch the
archeological pieces or take a cup of cofee
with a panoramic view of the city.
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INTERPRETATION
CENTER/
BRIDGE
23. (Academic)Formation Workshop I Fall semester 08/09
Tutor: Igor Muñoz
The house is a decomposition of a cube of
9x9x9 with a structural grid of 3m. The pro-
gram is conformed by a workshop a exhibition
hall, Living room-kitchen and a master room.
The house won best project price of the
class because of its functionality, simplic-
ity and the way it defined spaces.
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THE
SCULPTOR
HOUSE
2008
