After prefabricating the individual pieces the assembling process was the next test run. 
The collumns were marked, leveled, and aligned, the joints carefully assembled and the timber frame and ist connection checked outdoors on the campus grounds. 
Alongside the structure, also first prototypes for the furniture have been developed. An easy construction made out of leftover materials on site, will allow us to reduce waste and involve the community or potential users in the construction. 
An intense but enriching experience. We are ready for the challenges ahead and can’t wait to start building with our international partners in a week from now.

#DesignBuild #CoDesign #ThinkDesignBuild
#SustainableConstruction #EnvironmentalScienceLabs
#HandsOnLearning #wood
#ArchitectureEducation #Quito #Ecuador #WoodStructure

@fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil
@pucesedeibarra @eada_pucesi @gestaltungwismar
@hochschule_wismar @fgvanrijs @tu_berlin @arq_uc
@taller_ciudadypaisaje

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLatCnuI2Qi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 At Hochschule Wismar, the students have been working step by step on the 1:1 prototype of the timber structure that will be built in #Quito #Ecuador

???? Organizing and marking the timber, to cutting, sanding, drilling, and assembling each joint with screws and fasteners. Each step brought more knowledge and understanding for the prefabrication process and the material behavior at full scale.

This hands-on process has given a much clearer understanding of the construction sequence, teamwork, communication skills, the tools and techniques necessary on site, and the real scale of the structure for the #Fonag#DesingBuild project. 

#DesignBuild #CoDesign #ThinkDesignBuild
#SustainableConstruction #EnvironmentalScienceLabs
#HandsOnLearning #wood
#ArchitectureEducation #Quito #Ecuador

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLYO0UJobX_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

In the first phase, students at the participating universities develop initial concepts and typologies in groups. This independent processing allows a quick start without concerns about time zones, official schedules, language, or cultural differences. The phase concludes with a joint presentation where strengths, weaknesses, and similarities in the different design approaches are discussed.

The identification of similar design ideas is crucial for the next phase, as designs are further developed in international and interdisciplinary mixed groups through "blended learning".
Through video conferences, students identify proposals based on similar concepts or typologies. These are merged into a joint design by the respective authors in international and interdisciplinary mixed groups. This phase challenges students to critically evaluate their designs and embrace their partners' design approaches, merging them and their own ideas into up to five joint designs.

The same working groups are then tasked with further developing other groups designs. This approach helps students identify with others work and simplifies the collective merging of conceptual or structural components into the final joint design.

Finally, in the end phase, newly mixed groups of specialists are formed who concentrate on specific tasks or elements, such as the development of clay walls or timber joints. This specialization allows for the development of specific professional skills, among other things through the guidance of students from the different disciplines.

#ArchitectureStudents #DesignBuild #CoDesign #ThinkDesignBuild
#SustainableConstruction #EnvironmentalScienceLabs
#HandsOnLearning #ArchitectureEducation

@fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil
@pucesedeibarra @eada_pucesi @gestaltungwismar
@hochschule_wismar @fgvanrijs @tu_berlin @arq_uc
@taller_ciudadypaisaje

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLRw4PqMyRZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

This project was conceived from its origin under the teaching-learning methodology called “DesignBuild”. The term originally described the process of realizing a building, from design to the execution, from a single source. In the academic context of architectural education, the term has established itself as an alternative form of teaching and learning.

It combines a marked social commitment with professional learning, thereby bringing together teaching, research and practice in the complexity of a real project. The DesignBuild methodology extends the “Service Learning” model through the complexity and intensity of a real construction task in an international context.

Students are given the opportunity to experience a construction task from the preliminary research and co-design to implementation on site. They acquire, in
addition to architecture-specific qualifications, extra- and supra-disciplinary qualifications through intercultural and interdisciplinary work.

In addition to specialized skills, the concepts of identity and social responsibility should also be promoted. DesignBuild projects respond to the increasing demand in architectural education to expand conceptual ideas of academic design exercises into practice. Instead of a self-sufficient objectness, the development process plays the key role.

@fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil @pucesedeibarra @eada_pucesi @gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar @fgvanrijs @tu_berlin @arq_uc @taller_ciudadypaisaje

#DesignBuild #CoDesign #architecturestudents #ThinkDesignBuild #engineeringwithimpact #EnvironmentalScienceLabs #SustainableBuilding #BuildingTogether #designabetterworld

https://www.instagram.com/p/DK4rRprIELs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

As part of the #FONAG #DesignBuild project, students from PUCE Ibarra built a full-scale 1:1 prototype using the traditional bahareque technique, an ancestral practice that promotes sustainable construction and hands-on learning.
Every step of the process was carefully documented:

1. Soil selection – We identified a clay-rich soil suitable for the mix.
2. Fine sieving  – Stones and impurities were removed to ensure uniformity.
3. Cutting straw  – Plant fibers were prepared to reinforce the mix.
4 Earth-water mixing  – The right balance of moisture was achieved for ideal plasticity.
5. Treading the mix  – The blend was kneaded by foot to reach a consistent texture.
6. Applying to the wooden frame  – Each section of the frame was filled and compacted, consolidating the wall.

This hands-on exercise not only helps preserve sustainable vernacular techniques, but also strengthens the construction skills and collaborative spirit of our future architects. 

#PUCEIbarra #Bahareque #ArchitectureStudents
#DesignBuild #CoDesign #ThinkDesignBuild
#SustainableConstruction #EnvironmentalScienceLabs
#HandsOnLearning #TraditionalTechniques
#ArchitectureEducation #Quito #Ecuador

@fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil
@pucesedeibarra @eada_pucesi @gestaltungwismar
@hochschule_wismar @fgvanrijs @tu_berlin @arq_uc
@taller_ciudadypaisaje

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLGIHnaoGkX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

As part of the #FONAG #DesignBuild project, students from PUCE Ibarra built a full-scale 1:1 prototype using the traditional bahareque technique, an ancestral practice that promotes sustainable construction and hands-on learning.
Every step of the process was carefully documented:

1. Soil selection  – We identified a clay-rich soil suitable for the mix.
2. Fine sieving – Stones and impurities were removed to ensure uniformity.
3. Cutting straw  – Plant fibers were prepared to reinforce the mix.
4. Earth-water mixing  – The right balance of moisture was achieved for ideal plasticity.
5. Treading the mix  – The blend was kneaded by foot to reach a consistent texture.
6. Applying to the wooden frame  – Each section of the frame was filled and compacted, consolidating the wall.

This hands-on exercise not only helps preserve sustainable vernacular techniques, but also strengthens the construction skills and collaborative spirit of our future architects.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLGIHnaoGkX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

A s part of the #FONAG#DesignBuild project, students from PUCE Ibarra have developed a full-scale (1:1) prototype using the traditional bahareque construction technique following the preparatory work in the corresponding internationally mixed group .

This hands-on experience allowed students to explore sustainable building methods rooted in local knowledge, emphasizing the use of natural materials, environmental adaptation, and community-oriented design.

The exercise also served as a laboratory for testing structural behavior, material properties, and spatial solutions that will inform the final design proposal.

#PUCEIbarra #Bahareque #ArchitectureStudents#DesignBuild #CoDesign #ThinkDesignBuild#SustainableConstruction #EnvironmentalScienceLabs#HandsOnLearning #TraditionalTechniques#ArchitectureEducation #Quito #Ecuador

@fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil @pucesedeibarra@eada_pucesi @gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar@fgvanrijs @tu_berlin @arq_uc @taller_ciudadypaisaje

https://www.instagram.com/p/DK-c67kMLLX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== 

The students from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) are currently in the pre-construction phase of our collaborative #DesignBuild process. 

At this stage, they’ve been working in international, interdisciplinary teams to finalize the architectural components of the pavilion and refine how it responds to the site conditions.

Each group has focused on a specific aspect of the pavilion: the floor plan and zocalo, roof and rainwater management, facades, landscaping, and drainage system. These areas explore traditional construction techniques, climate challenges, and the spatial integration with the surrounding landscape.

The contribution of each university has been essential in advancing the project to its final phase completing the constructive development needed to bring the pavilion to life.

@fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil @pucesedeibarra @eada_pucesi @gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar @fgvanrijs @tu_berlin @arq_uc @taller_ciudadypaisaje

#DesignBuild #CoDesign #architecturestudents #ThinkDesignBuild
#EnvironmentalScienceLab #SustainableBuilding #BuildingTogether

Civil Engineering students from Universidad UTE are actively participating in the #DesignBuild project with a clear goal: to collaboratively design and construct an educational space for FONAG’s new Environmental Education Lab, located in the Rumipamba ravine, on the western side of #Quito, #Ecuador, together with the other international cooperating universities.

In this hands-on project, students face real-world challenges — from the design table to the construction site — working in interdisciplinary, international teams under the guidance of professors from all partner universities, including UTE. Together, they develop architectural and structural proposals that are coherent, environmentally responsive, and promote sustainable learning.

These images capture key moments of the journey: on-site work, topographic surveys, collaborative design workshops online, and technical classroom sessions. Every phase strengthens their professional, ethical, and human skills while contributing to the preservation of one of the last remaining relicts of Andean forest in the city.

This is a powerful example of collaborative learning — how civil engineering can and should be connected locally, nationally, and internationally with communities, environmental education, and a deep commitment to territory.

#EngineeringWithImpact #DesignBuildUTE #EnvironmentalEducation #FONAG #RumipambaRavine #UTECivilEngineering #LearningByDoing #BuildingToTransform

@fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil @pucesedeibarra
@gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar @janblieske @gestaltungwismar @fgvanrijs 
@tu_berlin @taller_ciudadypaisaje 
@eada_pucesi

We’re proud to announce that our DesignBuild project, “Environmental Science Labs – Ecuador,” has been selected as one of the 15 longlisted (from 120) initiatives for the Global Challenge 2025 by Architecture in Development @architectureindevelopment ????️✨

Being longlisted means that our project has been recognized—out of proposals from around the world—for its strong community impact, relevance to local needs, and potential to grow into a fully realized, sustainable architectural solution. It also means we are now part of a global platform that supports projects tackling urgent social and environmental challenges through architecture.

This recognition is a powerful step forward. It brings international visibility, opens up opportunities for funding and partnerships, and most importantly, validates our collaborative, community-based design process.

We are honored to be part of this inspiring group of changemakers working towards more inclusive, sustainable futures ????????

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey so far—from students and faculty in #Ecuador, #Chile, and #Germany, to our local partners and supporters, as well as to the building owner FONAG. 
Let’s keep building together. ????

#GlobalChallenge2025 #ArchitectureInDevelopment #EnvironmentalScienceLabs #CommunityArchitecture #SustainableDesign #DesignBuild #ThinkDesignBuild

@fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil @pucesedeibarra
@gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar @janblieske @gestaltungwismar @fgvanrijs
@tu_berlin @taller_ciudadypaisaje

From Hochschule Wismar, these images offer a glimpse into the creative process carried out in collaboration with our partner universities. While the project was developed jointly, the focus here in Wismar has been on exploring how to maximize natural light and solar gain within the architectural design.

These physical models reflect the dedication and teamwork of all international students and professors involved in the #designbuild project.

What you see here is the result of an intense design phase — a hands-on exploration of light, volumes, spatial strategies, and architectural forms that shape a future project soon to become a built reality.

This collaborative effort is a testament to the power of international academic exchange and the shared pursuit of #sustainable and context-driven design.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DKZQpLJIbgQ/

@fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil @pucesedeibarra
@gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar @janblieske @gestaltungwismar @fgvanrijs
@tu_berlin @taller_ciudadypaisaje
#designbuild #sustainabledesign #architecturestudents

Over the past few weeks, architecture students from PUCE Ibarra have been actively developing and presenting their design proposals as part of the #internationalcollaboration
⠀
This video captures key moments of their creative process — from conceptual ideas to the architectural design and physical model of a future building rooted in the local context.
⠀
These presentations were shared online in real time, continuing the ongoing communication and exchange with the network of international partner universities.
⠀
While the process has been challenging, it has also been deeply enriching in terms of learning, exchange, and the development of new perspectives.
⠀
In collaboration with partner universities, these exchanges represent a shared commitment to co-creating knowledge and sustainable design across borders.

@fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil @pucesedeibarra
@gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar
@tu_berlin @taller_ciudadypaisaje

On Friday, April 24th, students from partner universities in Ecuador, Germany, and Chile celebrated a key milestone in the FONAG DesignBuild project—the first round of joint presentations by newly formed multicultural design teams.

After developing individual concepts within their universities, students merged into five international groups, combining shared design ideas and launching a new, collaborative phase of the project. Each team presented their design variants to a panel of professors and representatives from FONAG, highlighting a rich tapestry of perspectives, site interpretations, and architectural strategies.

Working across continents and cultures has been both a challenge and a transformative learning experience—encouraging students to navigate language differences, embrace diverse ways of thinking, and grow as global collaborators.

With creativity, openness, and mutual respect, this diverse group of emerging architects is proving that collaboration is the foundation of innovation—and this is only the beginning of their shared journey.

Partners:
 @fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil @pucesedeibarra @gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar @fgvanrijs @tu_berlin @arq_uc @taller_ciudadypaisaje

#DesignBuild #SustainableDesign #ArchitectureStudents #GlobalLearning #InternationalCollaboration #FONAG #CrossCulturalDesign #HandsOnArchitecture #TeamworkInDesign

On Friday, April 12th, students from Hochschule Wismar presented the outcomes of their intensive workshop week, “FONAG Shell & Climate Design,” in a collaborative session with fellow students and faculty from partner universities in Ecuador, Chile, and Germany.

Led by Professors Jan Blieske and Daniel Hülseweg, the workshop focused on analyzing local daylight conditions at the future building site in the Rumipamba ravine. Students explored how natural light and solar gain could inform the form, orientation, and material strategies of their designs—paving the way for energy-conscious and climate-adapted architecture.

During the same event, architecture students from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador – Ibarra campus also shared their preliminary design proposals, offering fresh perspectives shaped by regional insights and hands-on fieldwork.

On April 7th, architecture students from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador – Ibarra campus (PUCE-I) advanced to the next stage of their work on the FONAG international #DesignBuild project, turning site impressions into spatial ideas.

Working with sketches and study models, the students began developing early volumetric concepts—translating their observations of the Rumipamba ravine's unique topography into architectural form.

Their creative process is grounded in a deep reading of the landscape: understanding the slope, light, vegetation, and materials as active design elements. Through material experimentation and hands-on exploration, the students are beginning to articulate a design language that responds authentically to its environment.

As their proposals take shape, the PUCE-I team is showing how contextual sensitivity and creative exploration go hand in hand in sustainable, site-driven architecture.

Partners:
 @fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil @pucesedeibarra @eada_pucesi @oe_eada_pucesi @gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar @fgvanrijs @tu_berlin @arq_uc @taller_ciudadypaisaje

#PUCEIbarra #ArchitectureEducation #DesignInProgress #SiteAnalysis #VolumetricStudies #HandsOnArchitecture #SustainableDesign #DesignBuildEcuador #Rumipamba

On March 31st, twelve architecture students from the School of Architecture, Engineering, Design and Arts at PUCE-Ibarra officially launched their participation in the FONAG international #DesignBuild project with an intensive day of fieldwork at the future site in Rumipamba, Quito.

Guided by Professor Guillermo Guzmán, students immersed themselves in the site’s natural landscape—mapping terrain, observing environmental patterns, and closely analyzing the unique ecological and cultural context that will inform their architectural strategies.

This on-site investigation marks a crucial step in the design process, helping students shape proposals that are not only structurally and environmentally responsive, but also deeply rooted in the local community and ecosystem.

By connecting directly with the land they will design for, the PUCE-I team is laying the foundation for a pavilion that will both educate and inspire future generations about the importance of water conservation and sustainability.

Stay tuned as these young architects from Ecuador contribute their local knowledge and creativity to this global, hands-on collaboration.

Partners:
 @pucesedeibarra @eada_pucesi @oe_eada_pucesi
 @fonaguio @ute_oficial @hochschule_wismar @gestaltungwismar @arq_uc @taller_ciudadypaisaje @fgvanrijs

#FONAG #DesignBuild #SustainableArchitecture #ArchitectureStudents #FieldworkInAction #LocalKnowledge #EnvironmentalDesign #PUCEI #Quito #WaterIsLife

On April 1st, a milestone moment unfolded in the #DesignBuild journey of the FONAG Environmental Science Lab:
 Students from the Universidad Católica de Chile held their first official presentation of research and early design proposals for the pavilion in Quito, Ecuador.

The session took place during a special visit from architect Prof. Jacob van Rijs (MVRDV) to the UC School of Architecture—bringing expert insight to an already dynamic discussion. 

Each student group shared their strongest conceptual approaches, grounded in site-specific climate conditions, the form and function of the pavilion, and its potential to create a welcoming, engaging space for children’s environmental education.

The 10 participating architecture students from Chile are part of the UC Research Workshop “Water Pavilion in Quito”, led by professors Sandra Iturriaga and Javiera Amaro—an initiative that merges research, creativity, and impact through international cooperation.

As the global student teams continue to exchange ideas, this collaborative design process is shaping up to be a unique, transcontinental effort to rethink how we build for education and sustainability—from concept to construction.

Partners:
 @arq_uc @taller_ciudadypaisaje @fonaguio @fgvanrijs @tu_berlin
 @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil @pucesedeibarra @gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar

#FONAG #DesignBuild #SustainableArchitecture #WaterPavilion #ArchitectureStudents #InternationalWorkshop #ChilexEcuador #GlobalDesign #HandsOnLearning

On March 19th, architecture students from Hochschule Wismar (Germany) took a major step forward in the FONAG Environmental Science Lab project, presenting their first round of site research for the future educational pavilion in Quito, Ecuador.

Their presentations explored crucial topics including local climate conditions, traditional construction techniques, and the role of key community partners—laying a thoughtful and informed foundation for design ideas rooted in sustainability and context.

Following this milestone, a second round of pin-up critiques and brainstorming sessions took place. Under the guidance of Professors Jan Blieske and Philipp Hülseweg, students began shaping the next phase of the project—developing innovative architectural proposals that respond to both ecological challenges and cultural narratives.

This process marks an exciting moment in a broader collaboration that brings together universities from Ecuador, Germany, and Chile—united in designing a space that promotes environmental awareness, water conservation, and hands-on learning.

Stay tuned as this cross-cultural team transforms research into reality—one sketch, model, and workshop at a time.

Partners:
@fonaguio @ute_oficial @ute_ingenieriacivil @pucesedeibarra @gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar @fgvanrijs @tu_berlin @arq_uc @taller_ciudadypaisaje @janblieske

#DesignBuild #SustainableArchitecture #FONAG #ResearchInAction #ArchitectureStudents #GlobalDesign #HandsOnLearning

We’re thrilled to kick off our next #DesignBuild journey: the Environmental Science Lab FONAG, nestled in the breathtaking Rumipamba ravine, a protected natural reserve right in the heart of #Quito, #Ecuador.

????This hands-on design-and-build project centers on a powerful mission: to create a sustainable educational pavilion that inspires action to protect our vital water sources. Set to host environmental workshops and community learning, the space will become a living classroom surrounded by nature.

????‍???? In summer 2025, students from 4 universities across Ecuador, Germany, and Chile will come together—bringing their diverse disciplines and ideas into one collaborative, on-site experience that bridges continents and cultures. ????????????????????????

Together, we’re building more than just a structure—we’re shaping awareness, resilience, and international cooperation in the face of environmental challenges.

Follow the process, support the mission, and stay tuned as we design with purpose, and build with impact.

Partners:
@fonaguio @gestaltungwismar @hochschule_wismar @ute_oficial @pucesedeibarra @arq_uc @taller_ciudadypaisaje @fgvanrijs
#DesignBuild #SustainableArchitecture #EnvironmentalEducation #Rumipamba #WaterIsLife #StudentLedDesign #GlobalCollaboration