THE BUILDING

With the combined goals of balancing the technological desires of the 21st century, the ecological and financial benefits of sustainable design, and the language of Ecuadorian building typologies, s.am looks to challenge the conventional styles and sensibilities of the region while providing a facility that address the needs and concerns of the local community and the Kallari Association. To this end, many different issues were addressed. Construction methods and materials were kept to a very basic palette to ease in the constructability of the structure and keep within the formal vernacular of the region. Bamboo, poured concrete, thatch, and corrugated metal sheets were chosen for their easy availability and flexible workability. The decision to elevate the building’s floor plate was to reduce the impact heavy rains and mudslides would have on the interior spaces. Pushing the walls toward the center of the structure created covered verandas that embraced the landscape by mediating between the inside and outside environments. In addition, walls were intentionally designed to be subtly transparent: a series of bamboo slats that provide natural ventilation throughout the spaces and modulates sunlight entering the building. Though the building has a dynamic, twisting momentum, it is grounded in a basic, four-meter by four-meter module that simplifies the construction process. The dramatic roofscape was created with sustainable practices in mind, as the butterfly structure collects and filters rainwater into underground cisterns that reuse the water in the building’s plumbing and irrigation systems. Striving to create a truly sustainable complex, items such as photovoltaic power, composting toilets, and under-building parking (to reduce impervious surfaces) were introduced and fully integrated into the design. Overall, these formal moves underlie the main objective: to not only create a thriving, profitable, sustainable chocolate factory and tourist destination, but to create a community gathering space that serves the entire region.

THE SATELLITE HUB

s.am looks at the satellite hub as a collection of mobile units that “plug” into the main facility in order to download information from the various smaller communities that the Kallari Association supports. To reduce cost and increase accessibility, the units would consist of bamboo-wrapped workstations that position themselves inside reclaimed moving trucks. The trucks would be purchase from vendors that are looking to dispose of working, but no longer used, vehicles. These units would be able to travel from site to site, collecting data from the various areas and storing it in a central server. Upon returning to the main facility, the information would be downloaded and transmitted over the Internet. The setup would mirror the concept of an iPod and its interface with a computer; the remote unit would therefore be able to reach more people in the region than a fixed structure could and would be able to be mass produced more quickly and more cost effectively.

Location