La Miradora House

LA MIRADORA HOUSE

Taller General

La Miradora House
© JAG Studio

ARCHITECTS
Taller General

STRUCTURAL CALCULATIONS
Miguel Morales

COLLABORATORS
Santiago León, Cerrotecec, Las Manos Sucias

CONSTRUCTION
Taller General

PHOTOGRAPHS
JAG Studio, Alex Santander

AREA
299 m²

YEAR
2024

LOCATION
Machachi, Ecuador

CATEGORY
Houses

La Miradora House
© JAG Studio

English description provided by the architects.

The Miradora is a dwelling located in the central highlands of Ecuador, in the páramo ecosystem at 3403 meters above sea level.

La Miradora House
© JAG Studio
La Miradora House
© JAG Studio

The elongated plot has access on one end from a local road and, on the other, a large ravine. On either side, neighboring prairies and large volcanoes define the location of the house.

It sits at the highest point of the lot and takes advantage of a slight slope to open up to all views and organize its interior.

La Miradora House
© JAG Studio
La Miradora House
© JAG Studio

The house is primarily occupied by a couple who occasionally have family visits. This condition is reflected in the spatial organization of the house.

On the upper level, which offers a wide view in all directions, the spaces necessary for the main users are located, along with a small lookout loft that opens to the north and south, where the nearest and most prominent volcanoes rise in the surroundings.

La Miradora House
© JAG Studio
La Miradora House
© JAG Studio

The lower level, which is smaller due to the slope, is activated when there are visitors and allows for accommodating more users.

Since the upper floor of the house is mainly used, a direct connection to the outside is resolved through a ramp that allows for both circulation and viewing.

La Miradora House
© JAG Studio
La Miradora House
© JAG Studio

This ramp is located on one side of the house and, although covered, is an exterior pathway that creates a gradual transition between the interior of the house and the land.

The dialogue with the natural environment is also evident in the functioning of the house;

a set of solar panels provides electricity to the interior, and gray and black waters are treated through grease traps, a biodigester, and a wetland, which after passing through a small lagoon are infiltrated into the ground.

La Miradora House
© JAG Studio
La Miradora House
© JAG Studio
La Miradora House
© JAG Studio

The house is supported by ten wooden ribs, porticos composed of 4 pieces with different inclinations that aim to close upward, providing greater shelter on the upper floor.

These porticos rest, on the north side, on a brick base that follows its inclination and disappears when the height allows for the existence of the lower floor.

On the south side, where the ramp is located, the lower pieces of each rib change in length, adapting to the slope of the ground, and at the same time, become metallic to withstand rain and direct sunlight.

La Miradora House
© JAG Studio
La Miradora House
© JAG Studio
La Miradora House
© JAG Studio

The porticos, arranged every 2.44 meters, create large eaves that protect the wood from rain and the interior from the sun.

This modulation is altered to support the loft for a wider view. In the lower levels of this alteration, the wet areas and the covered parking are resolved.

The materiality arises from a contextual analysis that seeks to highlight nature and the local but also considers the exposure capacities of each material to the local climate; the manufacturing availability in the market, and the speed of execution.

La Miradora House
© JAG Studio
La Miradora House
© JAG Studio

No coverings, plasters, or materials that hide the structure are used, which minimizes construction waste; for this, the design is defined in detail from the outset, and the training of the workforce in the construction process becomes essential.

With artisans from different specialties (metal, wood, ceramics, fabric), details such as lamps, fixed bathroom furniture, storage, stairs, curtains, divisions, and more are also resolved.

La Miradora House
© JAG Studio


La Miradora House
© Alex Santander
La Miradora House
© Alex Santander
La Miradora House
© Alex Santander
La Miradora House
© JAG Studio


La Miradora House
Section A
La Miradora House
Section B


La Miradora House
East Elevation
La Miradora House
North Elevation
La Miradora House
West Elevation
La Miradora House
South Elevation


La Miradora House
Ground Floor Plan
La Miradora House
1st Floor Plan
La Miradora House
Mezzanine Floor Plan
La Miradora House
Roof Plan
La Miradora House
General Plan