"A floating, multifunctional space for a community": Ecuador's Santay Observatory tests out residence on water
We found out about the Santay Observatory, a kind of floating civic space, from the Mashable video embedded above. More on it here from DesignBoom:
Floating along the Guayas River and Santay Island in Equador, Natura Futura Arquitectura and Juan Carlos Bamba’s ‘Santay Observatory’ is a breathable floating wooden platform that aims to become a cultural and educational hub for its community.
The architects constructed using the traditional artisanal technique implemented in rafts of Babahoyo, which is recognized by the National Institute of Cultural Heritage as a heritage asset of Ecuador.
Meeting on the Santos Observatory
The multifunctional floating platform is capable of adapting to various activities through folding doors made of prefabricated balsa wood panels that connect the interior space with an exterior gallery that looks towards the Guayas River and Santay Island…
The observatory was built by local labor on the banks of Babahoyo, 60 km from Guayaquil, as a continuation of Juan Carlos Bamba and Natura Futura’s research on floating habitability that started with the architects’ ‘El Refugio del Pescador’ project (see previous coverage here).
This first project sought to revalue the floating houses as intangible heritage of the coastal cities of Ecuador. Once its construction was complete, it was moved from Babahoyo to Guayaquil through the river, to finally settle on the dock on Santay Island.
‘Santay Observatory’ arises from a synergy between the Amigos de Santay Foundation, professionals, and the island community, with the vision of integrating and managing cultural and social manifestations in the territory.
It brings the local community and visitors closer to the natural environment and the traditional construction techniques, while strengthening local memory for future generations.
More here. And more on Natura Futura’s work on Dezeen and Architecture Daily.
Santay Observatory on the Guayas River