Refugio del Rio

Los Bancos Canton, Pichincha, Ecuador

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Casa para Maria

Refugio del Rio

Los Bancos Canton, Pichincha, Ecuador

Firm

Metriq Estudio

Type

Hospitality + Sport › Hotel

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2022

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

$10K - 50K

Refugio del Río, located in Mindo, Ecuador, is developed from a direct reading of the site. The river, vegetation, and existing interventions on the land defined both the limits and opportunities of the project, guiding its placement and avoiding decisions detached from the context. The commission was initially conceived as a large-scale lodge, during which earthworks and foundations were executed and later remained as pre-existing conditions. Following the pandemic, the office took over the project and redefined it in response to a shift in ways of inhabiting, where the search for isolation, rest, and direct contact with nature led the client to pursue a more intimate and autonomous program, materialized in a set of independent cabins.

The site, crossed by the river and surrounded by a large bamboo forest, became the project’s primary design resource. In a context where construction is typically resolved through concrete block and cement, the project consciously embraced bamboo, recycled plastic sheets, and bamboo matting as insulation, materials that defined both the structure and the architectural language of the complex. Despite its abundance in the area, few builders still master bamboo construction techniques; therefore, the process prioritized manual and artisanal work by local craftsmen, integrating their knowledge into the design and reclaiming bamboo as a material with technical, cultural, and expressive value.

The existing foundations allowed for the placement of two elevated cabins that engage in dialogue with the river and surrounding rock formations, minimizing ground intervention. Lightweight platforms and an independent access bridge establish a clear transition toward each unit, allowing the architecture to adapt to the landscape without imposing itself. The program is organized in a simple and flexible manner. The ground floor fully opens to the surroundings through accessible platforms that extend the program, while the upper level—accessed via a sliding ladder—frames the landscape through specific views and incorporates a suspended mesh that floats among the bamboo. A continuous vertical glazing system ensures controlled natural light and indirect views of sunrise and sunset on both levels.

Pre-existing elements, such as large rock formations, are integrated as natural extensions of the platforms and designated as spaces for contemplation and rest. An outdoor soaking tub oriented toward the landscape reinforces the direct relationship between body, architecture, and environment. The material palette combines local bamboo, glass, and lightweight solutions, achieving a precise balance between the artisanal and the contemporary.

Refugio del Río transcends its tourist function to become a position on how to build within the territory. Prioritizing artisanal labor over prefabrication required longer construction times, but this was embraced by the client as a fundamental value of the project. This decision strengthened the architectural identity of the complex and enhanced its impact as an experience: an architecture that values local craftsmanship, engages with the landscape, and demonstrates that building from place can be precise, sensitive, and economically viable at the same time.