The #GC2022 finalists are out! Read more.

search
×
menu
login
donate
Esperanza
El Cabuyal, Ecuador
follow
share on:mail linkcopy link to clipboardShare via LinkedInShare via TwitterShare via FacebookShare via Facebook
Empowering local community by building together.

image: Andrea Vargas | © all rights reserved
i
Category:
meeting place
Phase:
in use
Design:
al bordE
Updated:
26 July 2021
introduction

This project consists of a school 'Nueva Esperanza' and communal houses 'Esperanza Dos', built together by the locals and the design team. Located on a beach in a far away site, this is a fishing and agriculture community, a remote village without electricity, sewage or running water. This community seeks progress: for them, progress is achieved through personal enrichment; it is about understanding life, meeting one’s needs with the resources one possesses.

In the past, most of the schools near the area are made of concrete: a grey box with window bars that make it look more like a jail than a school. Plus, this kind of concrete construction is easily degenerated. Thus, the aim of the project was about generate long-term solutions rather than solving immediate problems.

In 2009, this community finally has realized their first school built according to their need and wish. In 2011, the design team came back to the village, and together with the locals to realize their communal spaces next to the school.

This project consists of a school 'Nueva Esperanza' and communal houses 'Esperanza Dos', built together by the locals and the design team.

image: Esteban Cadena | © all rights reserved
i
EXISTING SCHOOL: small, lack of privacy, no storing places & high humidity.

image: AL BORDE | © all rights reserved
i
SCHOOL TYPE GIVEN BY THE STATE: concrete school with window bars, totally out of context & negative response to weather issues.

image: AL BORDE | © all rights reserved
i
cultural and social context

Here in Cabuyal, the locals live without electricity, without sewage or running water. People do not use money, do not have professions, do not measure time with clocks, do not use meters or rulers. This is a different world without private property, nor institutions. Life is simple: the community satisfy their needs almost obviously: the sea and the land are the supermarket and forest trees are the materials to build their houses.

The sea and the land are the supermarket and forest trees are the materials to build their houses.

image: Francisco-Suarez | © all rights reserved
i
This fishing community is located at the beach.

image: Pascual Gangotena | © all rights reserved
i
Surroundings of the building site.

image: Pascual Gangotena | © all rights reserved
i
This fishing community.

image: Pascual Gangotena | © all rights reserved
i
A school with a boat shape in where every day, kinds jump into it and get ready to sail and discover new worlds...

image: Pascual Gangotena | © all rights reserved
i
read more >
< read less
materials and building techniques

For this specific community, a simple construction system was perceived by the design team: a system capable of adapting to the unpredictable land, labor and materials. This adaptable system has allowed modifications of the design decisions during the construction.

The project uses the same materials and building patterns the community has been using for building for years. Locally available resources have defined the project: irregular shaped materials. Fishing and farming tools. Strong and skilled laborers who do not understand accuracy in terms of centimeters.

During the construction process, each person had a preferred task at the beginning and in time, one's skill has been improved; this led to an optimizing process. Eventually, the construction team has strengthened itself by sharing & passing each other's experience. The construction time was one week; this process of collective construction has helped the locals to develop their own building system. Once the community understood the system & process, they were empowered and the design team were no longer needed.

Maquette.

image: Jose Antonio Vivanco | © all rights reserved
i
Building process-1.

image: Pascual Gangotena | © all rights reserved
i
Building process-2.

image: Pascual Gangotena | © all rights reserved
i
Building process-3.

image: Pascual Gangotena | © all rights reserved
i
read more >
< read less
image gallery
The school and its surrounding.

image: Francisco Suarez | © all rights reserved
i
In our Fisher community, It´s the prettiest thing, having a school with a boat shape in where every day, kinds jump into it and get ready to sail...

image: Pascual Gangotena | © all rights reserved
i
Built together with the locals.

image: Pascual Gangotena | © all rights reserved
i
Construction process.

image: Pascual Gangotena | © all rights reserved
i
The skeleton of the building.

image: Pascual Gangotena | © all rights reserved
i
Built together with the villagers.

image: Esteban Cadena | © all rights reserved
i
Interior.

image: Francisco Suarez | © all rights reserved
i
Interior.

image: Francisco Suarez | © all rights reserved
i
The model and the structure transmit a freshness and imaginative environment that stimulated the development of artistic and academic activities...

image: Francisco Suarez | © all rights reserved
i
Design of the pivotal stairs.

image: Francisco Suarez | © all rights reserved
i
The school and its surrounding.

image: Francisco Suarez | © all rights reserved
i
Esperanza_Dos: the community space next to the school.

image: Sebastián Melo | © all rights reserved
i
Esperanza_Dos: the community space next to the school.

image: Sebastián Melo | © all rights reserved
i
Esperanza_Dos: the community space next to the school.

image: Andrea Vargas | © all rights reserved
i
Esperanza_Dos: the community space next to the school.

image: Andrea Vargas | © all rights reserved
i
technical drawings
Model: Nueva Esperanza school

image: Jose Antonio Vivanco | © all rights reserved
i
Model: Esperanza_Dos

image: AL BORDE | © all rights reserved
i
Scheme of construction system: Esperanza_Dos

image: AL BORDE | © all rights reserved
i
Scheme of construction system: Esperanza_Dos

image: AL BORDE | © all rights reserved
i
Scheme of construction system: Esperanza_Dos

image: AL BORDE | © all rights reserved
i
Location
show earth plate boundarieshide earth plate boundaries
Explore more inspirations
Keyword:
local resources (100)
community practice (113)
hands-on (43)
participation (112)
climate (20)
prev
  •  work & business
    Bamboo factory Bali
    Bali, Indonesia
  •  housing
    Bahia house
    Salvador, Brazil
  •  housing
    Entre Muros House
    Tumbaco, Quito, Ecuador
  •  emergency shelter
    Living Tebogo
    Johannesburg, South Africa
  •  meeting place
    wNw Bar
    thu dau mot, Vietnam
  •  health & sanitation
    Safe Haven Bathhouse
    Ban Tha Song Yang, Thailand
  •  meeting place
    Liyuan Library
    Jiao jie he (交界河村), China
  •  health & sanitation
    Salam Center for Cardiac Surgery
    Soba, Sudan
  •  housing
    Homemade mud house
    Dinajpur, Bangladesh
  •  education
    Gando Primary School
    Gando, Burkina Faso
  •  emergency shelter
    Bamboo Dome Structure
    Ramsar, Iran
  •  housing
    Turf houses
    Keldur, Iceland
  •  recreation & sport
    Geometric Hot Springs
    Villarica National Park, Chile
  •  health & sanitation
    Butaro hospital
    Burera, Rwanda
  •  recreation & sport
    Takasugi-an
    Chino, Japan
  •  housing
    Río Cedro House
    Río Cedro, Colombia
  •  education
    Thon Mun Community Centre
    Takeo, Cambodia
  •  housing
    Palmyra house
    Nandgaon, India
  •  meeting place
    Villanueva Public Library
    Villanueva, Colombia
  •  infrastructure
    Community Bamboo Footbridge
    Davao City, Philippines
  •  housing
    cappadocia cave dwellings
    cappadocia, Turkey
  •  emergency shelter
    Low-cost modular housing scheme
    Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  •  education
    Pani community centre
    Rajarhat, Bangladesh
  •  education
    Maosi primary school
    Maosi, China
  •  housing
    Mousgoum dwellings
    Pouss, Cameroon
  •  emergency shelter
    Soe Ker Tie House
    Ban Tha Song Yang, Thailand
  •  education
    Tongo school
    Tongo, Mali
  •  housing
    E.V.A. Self build eco-village
    Pescomaggiore, Italy
  •  meeting place
    R-Urban
    Colombes, France
  •  emergency shelter
    Reed house
    Lake Titicaca, Peru
  •  meeting place
    Sidi Amor’s eco-village for arts and crafts
    Ariana, Tunisia
  •  recreation & sport
    Cerro Mirador
    San Carlos, Venezuela
  • play
     work & business
    Eco-brick goes MUD!
    Arusha, Tanzania
  •  housing
    "After the rain comes..."
    Msitu wa Tembo, Tanzania
  •  emergency shelter
    Temporary Dormitories for Mae Tao Clinic
    Mae Sot, Thailand
  •  religion & memorial
    Wenzai True Jesus Church-Our Pray Room
    Changhua, Taiwan
  •  housing
    Ciudadelas de Paz - Building for Peace
    Manaure, Cesar, Colombia
  •  housing
    Juan Hippolito House
    San Pedro Apostol, Mexico
  •  urban planning
    Parque El Óvalo - Pamplona Alta (Lima, Perú)
    Lima, Peru
  •  housing
    Le Village Noir
    Gatlang, Nepal
  •  education
    Adharshila School Extension Project
    Agara Village, Sheopur District, Madhya Pradesh, India
  •  emergency shelter
    Pallet Garage
    Indianapolis, U.S.A.
  •  meeting place
    Palomino, Building a Society.
    Palomino, Colombia
  •  meeting place
    (CON)VIVENCIAS
    Lima, Peru
  •  education
    Community School in N'Tyeani
    N'tyeani, Mali
  •  education
    Ali Apple Elementary School
    Ali, China
  •  education
    Upgrading of Nile River School
    South of Giza governorate, Egypt
  •  housing
    Batak Toba Houses
    Lake Toba, Indonesia
  •  education
    Kusikuna Eco-Active School
    Apote - Tiquipaya, Bolivia
  •  education
    Children's Centre XEWA SOWE
    Village of Sowé (Glazoué), Benin
  •  infrastructure
    Community School in Darmang, Ghana
    Damang, Ghana
  •  education
    P'Yan School Project
    Mae Sot, Thailand
  •  education
    Bamboo Alternative School
    Bogor, Indonesia
  •  meeting place
    Kazi na Bobo - community shop built with plastic bottles
    Msitu wa Tembo, Tanzania
  •  education
    Community Learning Centre in Pasman Tol
    Pasman Tol, Nepal
  •  housing
    Open Source House Pilot
    Cape Coast, Ghana
  •  infrastructure
    Infrastructure to support the indigenous community
    Santo Angelo, Brazil
  •  housing
    A Casa de Abuela Cuentacuentos
    Escobilla, Mexico
  •  housing
    Post-Tsunami Rehabilitation
    Kirinda, Sri Lanka
  •  housing
    Naust paa Aure
    Aure, Norway
  •  education
    LA VIEJA
    Montebello, Cali, Colombia
  •  meeting place
    CICADA
    Taipei, Taiwan
  •  meeting place
    Jabu Centre
    Siteki, Swaziland
  •  recreation & sport
    sport clubhouse Kalobeyei, Kenya
    Kalobeyei, Kenya
  •  education
    Bamboo Kindergarten
    Tasikmalaya, Indonesia
  • finalist 2016
     education
    ModSkool
    New Delhi, India
  •  housing
    Kampung Kali Chode, Yogyakarta
    Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  • play
     housing
    Orphanage for former streetboys
    Nairobi, Kenya
  •  meeting place
    Community Learning Center Corralones
    Sacaba, Bolivia
  •  housing
    BAMBÚ SOCIAL
    El Rama, Nicaragua
  •  education
    Trade School in Guatemala
    Cerro la Granadilla (San Raimundo), Guatemala
  • play
     meeting place
    Sunzu Village Community Center
    Burera, Rwanda
  •  meeting place
    Community Center in Jatimulyo
    Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  •  meeting place
    Palomino Border
    Palomino, Guajira, Colombia
  • GC2022 finalist
     work & business
    The Women's House of Imloul
    Imloul, Morocco
  • play
     meeting place
    StadtGoesFuture-Culthäusle
    Filderstadt-Plattenhardt, Germany
  •  recreation & sport
    Sport City
    Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico
  •  emergency shelter
    SBAM.it 2011
    Massarosa-Stiava (LU), Italy
  •  education
    Njoro Children's Library
    Mailisita, Kilimanjaro , Tanzania
  • play
     health & sanitation
    Kamuna agricultural rehabilitation centre
    Kamuna, Cankuzo, Burundi
  •  housing
    Rural Housing Development Program
    Chitrawad, Gujarat, India
  •  education
    Transforming Learning Spaces in Rwanda
    Muhanga, Rwanda
  •  housing
    CASA RANA
    Tamil Nadu, India
  •  infrastructure
    Bamboo Bridge in Solo
    Solo, Indonesia
  • play
    GC2022 finalist
     education
    Book House
    China
  •  meeting place
    Tusen Restaurante
    Ramundberget, Sweden
  • GC2021 finalist
     agriculture & fisheries
    Cocina CoLaboratorio
    Ejido Loma Bonita, Mexico
  •  work & business
    Sembalun Bamboo Youth Development Centre
    Lombok, Indonesia
  •  health & sanitation
    Hygiene Station for Cattlefield Village School
    Yunnan, China
  •  education
    Bamboo Panyaden School
    Chiang Mai, Thailand
  •  education
    Training Center for Mae Tao Clinic
    Mae Sot, Thailand
  •  meeting place
    Farmers' Innovation Center (BLF)
    Angangba (Nagaland), India
  • GC2021 finalist
     education
    A School Built By the People, For The People
    Jorhat, India
  •  education
    Impact Pavilion Ibadan: Connect, Learn, Thrive
    Alaka Community, Ojoo, Ibadan, Nigeria
  •  housing
    House of Plenty
    Nijmegen, Netherlands
  •  meeting place
    Iche_Food for thought: a hub for glocal innovation
    San Vicente, Ecuador
  •  education
    Jubilant Tree School
    Moshi, Tanzania
  •  urban planning
    The Self-made Dwelling
    Dharavi, India
  •  infrastructure
    Taxi Rank
    Magagula Heights, Katlehong, South Africa
  •  education
    Ithuba Community College
    Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa
next