The #GC2022 finalists are out! Read more.

search
×
menu
login
donate
Chamanga Cultural Center
Chamanga, Ecuador
Written by:
follow
share on:mail linkcopy link to clipboardShare via LinkedInShare via TwitterShare via FacebookShare via Facebook
image: Santiago Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Category:
meeting place
Phase:
in use
Design:
Atarraya Taller de Arquitectura, DesignBuild Studio, Munich University of Applied Sciences, Opción Más, Portland State University
Updated:
15 September 2021
introduction
During the earthquake in April 2016, 80% of the buildings in Chamanga got severely damaged. The disaster worsened the social inequalities that already had 100% of the population below the poverty line. The cultural house, providing programs to strengthen local Afro-Ecuadorian and Montubio’s heritage in music, dance, and poetry, was also destroyed.

The cultural house managed by a local organization, Opción Más, has been running art & cultural programs for the community since 2009, strengthening social tissues and providing opportunities and support for at-risk youth.
The Core Team
The idea to rebuild the cultural center initiated by the local actors, such as Opción Más, was then supported by other Chamangueñx groups, Movimiento Mi Cometa, Atarraya Taller de Arquitectura, as well as different universities.

After the acquisition of the land by Opción Más, the project was organized into two main phases. The first phase was carried out as a Design-Build project with Portland State University, accompanied by the University of Tokyo. Whereas the second broader phase, was led by the Munich University of Applied Sciences. The design evolved through the feedback loops between local and external collaborators: An organic planning development process where students design, plan and build in collaboration with the local community, professionals, and professors.
Studio Chamanga Hochschule München

image: Studio Chamanga Hochschule München | © all rights reserved
i
Phase 1

image: Portland State University | © all rights reserved
i
materials and building techniques
To ensure a seismic-proof and socially relevant design, knowledge exchange between local traditions (local maestros and maestras) and modern techniques (academic design-research groups) was constantly taking place. The on-site, participatory research and decision-making have resulted in a design in harmony with its context while standing out due to its different scale and contemporary use of traditional building systems.

The design consists of two parallel volumes, each made of two floors, placed on the sides of a double-height atrium that can be opened to the public during broader events, immersing itself in the surrounding environment. While the first floor is built in bricks and reinforced concrete to ensure structural security, the second floor is framed in local bamboo and wood, keeping the space naturally lit and ventilated. 

Recycled Tetra Pak sheets were used for the roofing, improving the indoor acoustic and thermal conditions. Moreover, responding to the sanitation crisis and access to water, the cultural center provides tanks to harvest rainwater as well as access to dry toilet systems.
Construction process of the Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Sebastian Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Construction process of the Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Sebastian Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Construction process of the Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Sebastian Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Impact
The process of design and construction aimed to strengthen the pre-existing social tissues and organizing capacities. This empowerment is an added social value to the whole project. Today, Chamanga cultural center is a space for youth to discover and do something meaningfully with their peers. In addition,” existing community initiatives were strengthened, and new ones started to happen since the construction of the cultural center.” says Sebastian, one of the leading architects of Atarraya Taller de Arquitectura.

The Chamanga Cultural Center supports Opción Más and other local actors in their efforts to provide leisure and cultural opportunities while advancing broader social agendas through neighborhood assemblies, filmmaking, marimba, and mangrove-ecosystem preservation workshops. A space where traditional building systems are re-presented, it welcomes the activities of young and adult Chamangueñx organizations who mobilize to connect with their cultural roots and transform local conditions.
Opening ceromony

image: Sebastian Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
image gallery
Centro Cultural Chamanga

image: Santiago Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Santiago Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Santiago Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Santiago Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Santiago Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Santiago Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Santiago Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Santiago Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Santiago Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
Chamanga Cultural Center

image: Santiago Oviedo | © all rights reserved
i
technical drawings
Site plan

image: atarraya taller arquitectura | © all rights reserved
i
Plan

image: atarraya taller arquitectura | © all rights reserved
i
Plan

image: atarraya taller arquitectura | © all rights reserved
i
section

image: atarraya taller arquitectura | © all rights reserved
i
section

image: atarraya taller arquitectura | © all rights reserved
i
Location
show earth plate boundarieshide earth plate boundaries
Explore more inspirations
Keyword:
bamboo (68)
community (139)
earthquake (20)
empowerment (70)
student participation (47)
prev
  •  education
    Wadi Abu Hindi Primary School
    Wadi Abu Hindi Bedouin camp, Palestinian Territories
  •  education
    JAHMAZING Bamboo Lab
    Marley Coffee Farm, Blue Mountains, Jamaica
  •  housing
    Open Source House Pilot
    Cape Coast, Ghana
  •  education
    Majuli School / GENERATING RESILIENCE
    majuli, India
  •  education
    Tipu Sultan Merkez
    Jar Maulwi, Pakistan
  •  education
    La Salle University
    Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico
  •  education
    Okana center for change
    Okana, Kenya
  •  education
    Deyalkotha
    Dhaka, Bangladesh
  •  meeting place
    CASA ENSAMBLE CHACARÁ
    Pereira, Colombia
  •  emergency shelter
    Temporary Dormitories for Mae Tao Clinic
    Mae Sot, Thailand
  •  recreation & sport
    Rural Sports Center
    San Pedro Apóstol, Oaxaca, Mexico
  •  education
    LA VIEJA
    Montebello, Cali, Colombia
  • play
     meeting place
    Casa Comunal de la Isla de Portete / Ecuador.
    Portete, Ecuador
  •  housing
    OA Bamboo House
    Various locations, Malaysia
  •  work & business
    Bamboo factory Bali
    Bali, Indonesia
  •  housing
    Black Bamboo Community Center
    Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  •  meeting place
    Farmers' Innovation Center (BLF)
    Angangba (Nagaland), India
  •  infrastructure
    Bamboo Bridge in Solo
    Solo, Indonesia
  •  meeting place
    wNw Bar
    thu dau mot, Vietnam
  •  recreation & sport
    Jade Bamboo Cultural Plaza
    Shenzhen, China
  •  meeting place
    SBNAI Davao Social Space & Landscape Project
    Davao City, Philippines
  •  emergency shelter
    Mud-Structure
    Kermanshah, Iran
  •  education
    Wadi Abu Hindi Playground
    Wadi Abu Hindi Bedouin camp, Palestinian Territories
  • play
     education
    Community Center for Indigenous music/ environment
    Tuba, Philippines
  • GC2022 finalist
     housing
    KuNa, Construyendo Sueños
    El Astillero, Tola, Nicaragua
  •  housing
    CASA RANA
    Tamil Nadu, India
  •  education
    SAL Exhibition Pavilion/Learning by Making
    Ahmedabad, India
  •  agriculture & fisheries
    Community Greenhouse
    Quito, Ecuador
  •  education
    Senior Citizen’s Library
    Bhatpore Village Surat, India
  •  meeting place
    BE friendly space
    Mao Khe, Vietnam
  •  emergency shelter
    Bamboo Dome Structure
    Ramsar, Iran
  •  education
    MOVING school 001
    Mae Sot, Thailand
  •  education
    Bamboo Manta Ray
    Koh Kood, Thailand
  •  housing
    BAMBÚ SOCIAL
    El Rama, Nicaragua
  • play
    GC2021 finalist
     education
    Taller Tropical Moravia 2.0
    Medellín, Colombia
  • finalist 2016
     education
    ModSkool
    New Delhi, India
  •  housing
    PHOOLNA - teachers accomodation
    Sunderpur, Raxaul, India
  •  meeting place
    El Tr3bol de Ciudad de Cali
    Bogotá, Colombia
  •  meeting place
    CICADA
    Taipei, Taiwan
  •  education
    Bamboo Alternative School
    Bogor, Indonesia
  •  religion & memorial
    Bamboo chapels
    Jama, Ecuador
  •  meeting place
    Community Center in Jatimulyo
    Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  •  meeting place
    BES Pavilion
    Ha Tinh city, Vietnam
  •  housing
    Courtyard House
    Trapang Angchang, Cambodia
  •  housing
    Net-Zero Self-sufficient Home
    Bafoussam, Cameroon
  •  infrastructure
    Community Bamboo Footbridge
    Davao City, Philippines
  •  meeting place
    Custody House Of Memory
    Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia
  •  housing
    Co-housing Project at Ciliwung Riverfront
    Jakarta, Indonesia
  •  emergency shelter
    SBAM.it 2011
    Massarosa-Stiava (LU), Italy
  •  education
    Colegio de las Aguas Montebello
    Cali - Montebello, Colombia
  •  education
    Bamboo Kindergarten
    Tasikmalaya, Indonesia
  •  religion & memorial
    BAMBOO CHURCH
    yogyakarta, Indonesia
  •  recreation & sport
    Sport City
    Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico
  •  education
    PLAYSCAPE
    Koh Rong Island, Cambodia
  •  meeting place
    Pondok Tagal
    Kampung Maligan, Malaysia
  • play
     recreation & sport
    Plot ABC - phase 2
    Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
  •  education
    Bamboo Panyaden School
    Chiang Mai, Thailand
  •  religion & memorial
    Ise Grand Shrine
    Ise, Mie prefecture, Japan
  •  work & business
    Sembalun Bamboo Youth Development Centre
    Lombok, Indonesia
  •  education
    EDAYA indigenous crafts and design school
    Baguio, Philippines
  • play
    GC2022 finalist
     education
    KAKR BULUH AWAR
    Deli Serdang, Indonesia
  •  education
    MOVING school 002
    Mae Ramat, Thailand
  •  education
    Safe Haven Library
    Ban Tha Song Yang, Thailand
  •  education
    METI school
    Rudrapur, Bangladesh
  • play
     education
    Mallki Wasi - Education for the Amazon guardians
    Kosñipata, Peru
  •  education
    Habitat initiative cabo delgado
    Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
  •  education
    Pani community centre
    Rajarhat, Bangladesh
  •  education
    Canteiro Móvel | Mobile Hands-on
    Botucatu, Brazil
next