Quilotoa Shalalá Overlook
QUILOTOA SHALALÁ OVERLOOK
Jorge Javier Andrade Benítez + Javier Mera Luna + Daniel Moreno Flores
DESIGN
Francisco Suárez
CONSTRUCTORES
Comunidad Indígena De
GESTORES DE PROYECTO
Ministerio De Turismo Del Ecuador
COLLABORATORS
Manuel Galárraga, María Paz Villagomez, Diana Callejas, Christian Rea
CONSTRUCTION
Gabriela Cevallos
BUILDER
Comunidad Indígena De Shalalá
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Guillermo Gómez
TÉCNICOS DE COORDINACIÓN DEL MINISTERIO DE TURISMO
Javier Imaicela, Fernando Nieto
PHOTOGRAPHS
Lorena Darquea, Daniel Moreno Flores
AREA
616 m²
YEAR
2013
LOCATION
Zumbahua, Ecuador
CATEGORY
Public Space
Text description provided by architect.
This Project starts with the acknowledgment of a conceptual challenge which structures the idea that generates the proposal.
Which characteristics could an overlook have to be attractive even when all its natural surroundings offer interesting (and similar) views.
This is due to the fact that the project is located in the top edge of the crater of an active volcano that has a lake inside of it, which creates multiple viewing opportunities along its surroundings.
Because of its geographical peculiarities, the Quilotoa Crater and its Lake have become a touristic site of growing popularity in Ecuador. Located in the Andes, this elevation is 170 km south of Quito. Its altitude is 3974 meters above sea level.
The ecosystem of this area is an Andean páramo, therefore its surrounding vegetation includes low grasses, endemic shrubs and small trees. All these elements add to create a landscape of restrained beauty.
The area has been traditionally inhabited by indigenous populations of the Ecuadorian highlands, who have a mainly agricultural way of subsistence.
The closest settlement is Zumbahua; however, some small scattered communities live closer to the lake. Shalalá is one of the communities that have ancient ties to the Volcano.the creation of a platform extending from the edge of the crater over the cliff looking to give the visitor the opportunity to “fly” over.
And their inhabitants have started a touristic venture to offer accommodation, restaurant service and guided visits to the attractions of the area. The Ecuadorian Tourism Ministry responded to the initiative of the community by providing them with complementary infrastructure to their touristic facilities.
The Ministry aimed to support the venture of the community helping its members to increase their income through their involvement in the provision of touristic services. The overlook is planned to settle in the superior edge of the crater, its main objective is to create a structure that allows the uninterrupted observation of the surroundings where the users can safely reach border of the cliff.
However, the conceptual challenge explained above remains, where the site chosen for the overlook has a very similar view to the rest of the border of the crater.
The response that this project delivers is based on creating opportunities for the visitor to see the landscape in different ways than from any other point in the crater.
The experience of the user is enriched through. Therefore, the analysis is focused on what other experiences could the overlook offer to become an interest point in the area.
