Paisaje: The Latest Architecture and News

When designing spaces for viewing, architecture enters into a dialogue with the territory in an effort to understand the landscape and the enjoyment of reality, whether natural or built. Through an invitation to contemplate our surroundings, several architecture professionals in Latin America embark on the challenge of constructing structures that interact with nature, reinterpret certain building typologies, or become part of the learning and teaching of architecture for future generations. The wide variety of landscapes and cultures present in the Latin American context reflects the endless opportunities where architecture holds the potential to foster dialogue between the observer and the observed while drawing from the region’s deep connection with local flora, fauna, and other species.

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At a global level, contemporary architecture continues to explore tools and design methodologies to integrate nature into habitable spaces, given its proven benefits and contributions to improving people's quality of life. While there are diverse religious beliefs around the world, religious architecture generally expands beyond its uses and functions to connect with the sacred. Senses, memories, and emotions are transmitted in these spaces through the use of certain materials, spatial organizations, and even sounds and aromas that enhance experiences in atmospheres of spirituality, divinity, and reflection. In Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, Brazil, and Uruguay, projects for places of worship open to the outdoors reflect an architecture that adapts to different natural environments while maintaining the premise that each religion is tied to a social identity and requires a particular connection with its community and surrounding landscape.

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Ecuador, though a relatively small country in terms of land area, boasts a vast and diverse range of ecosystems and natural landscapes, including the Andes mountains, the Pacific coastline, and the Amazon rainforest. This makes the natural environment a key player, shaping its relationship with the built environment and demanding that architecture seamlessly integrate with and respect its context.

Over the years, Ecuadorian architecture has developed its own identity, successfully adapting to these diverse settings. Various construction techniques have been implemented, relying on locally sourced materials to create spaces and shelters in complete harmony with the landscape. Amid the growing trend of seeking a closer connection with nature, architecture in different regions of Ecuador has had to adjust to these conditions.

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