The Floating Neighborhood of Las Balsas / Natura Futura

"Collaborator: Kevin Araujo, Bamba Studio, Jhonatan Andrade, Edison Noboa, Roswell Suárez Inhabitants: Wilmer Eleno, Victor Amaiquema, Teresa Mariscal, Grecia Vera, Pablo Carbo, Miller Vargas Text description provided by the architects. Developed along the banks of the Babahoyo River in Ecuador."

"Two hundred years ago, the river was home to more than 250 floating houses; by 2010, over 80 families had been displaced to municipal housing developments located six kilometers away, disconnecting them from their commercial, social, and cultural ties, as well as from their traditional ways of life. Today, barely twenty-five homes remain afloat on the river, under conditions inadequate for community development. Given this situation, the project proposes a public and private space (for local inhabitants) that revalues the floating ecosystem by recovering traditional building techniques for the preservation of the river's social and natural habitat."

Developed along the banks of the Babahoyo River in Ecuador. Two hundred years ago the river hosted more than 250 floating houses. By 2010 over 80 families were displaced to municipal housing six kilometers away, severing commercial, social, cultural ties and traditional ways of life. Today barely twenty-five homes remain afloat under conditions inadequate for community development. The proposal creates public and private spaces for local inhabitants that revalue the floating ecosystem. The design recovers traditional building techniques to preserve the river's social and natural habitat and to support cultural continuity and community resilience.

Read at ArchDaily