Sustainable Alleys
by RAMA estudio
Guapulo, Quito, Ecuador
Project details
Year
2024
Project year
2023
Land area
3240 m²
project website
Location
Team credits
Collective
- RAMA estudio -
Carla Chavez,
Carolina Rodas,
Felipe Donoso,
Catalina Paez,
Camila Murgueitio.
contributing partners
CEES,
Guápulo.
commissioned by
Eduardo Mena Passage,
Camino de Orellana Community.
The initiative in the Guapulo neighbourhood of Quito represents the city’s first sustainable neighbourhood pilot project, designed to enhance quality of life through easily implementable and replicable interventions. The aim is to introduce clean technologies and sustainable strategies into socially disadvantaged areas, fostering equity and greater access to green initiatives in the city.
In Guapulo, a mix of heritage buildings and homes of varying socioeconomic levels, including self-built dwellings, creates a diverse housing landscape. Over time, this diversity has led to irregular passages and unplanned densification, resulting in challenges such as poor water management, precarious construction and hazardous electrical and water connections.
To tackle these issues, the project proposed several sustainable initiatives. Organic community gardens, a rainwater harvesting and filtration system, and soil regeneration techniques were employed to combat soil erosion on sloped terrain. The design process involved collaboration with permaculture-trained professionals, who provided hands-on workshops to guide the community in composting, seed selection, irrigation system design and planting bed construction.
Another goal was to improve the neighbourhood’s appearance by painting deteriorated façades with locally sourced, earth-based pigments: a total of 3,240 m2 were painted during community work gatherings. Recognizing the value of existing resources, the initiative rehabilitated a 30-year-old adobe building for collective housing, transforming 700 m2 into nine residential units, two workshops and a neighbourhood shop.
This pilot project demonstrates that any community, regardless of social strata, can adopt passive strategies for sustainability. The initial phase included the installation of solar panels to harness renewable energy, biological filters for rainwater harvesting and non-potable water usage, and the installation of 200 m² of green roofs to improve thermal management in housing.
Additionally, the project promotes local economic development through neighbourhood-based product generation, urban gardening, effective waste management strategies to create compost for gardens, and the use of earth-based paints and natural pigments to minimize environmental impact. Community education initiatives empower residents with sustainable practices and help build local capacity.
Efficiency and effectiveness are ensured by tracking resource usage and project performance, while collaboration among various experts guarantees comprehensive planning and successful implementation of sustainable strategies. Ultimately, the aim is to improve immediate living conditions and establish a replicable model of sustainability for neighbourhoods throughout Ecuador.
Rama is a collective specializing in architecture, design, urbanism and construction, with a focus on resource optimization through innovative experimentation. The collective prioritizes processes that harmonize design and production with the needs of people, the environment and local memory. Its work addresses social, cultural and spatial challenges across various scales, from large territories to individual objects.
Emphasizing sustainability, Rama ensures that projects endure over time through usage, operation and preventive management. A key aspect of their approach involves repurposing existing architectural elements to meet current needs, adopting a less invasive architecture.
The collective is dedicated to reimagining urban spaces by adding new functions and enhancing life quality in established neighbourhoods. It envisions compact cities that utilize existing resources and offer diverse amenities, such as housing above shopping and cultural centres, while promoting walkable environments.
Rama favours durable, adaptable materials that do not compromise environmental health and embraces experimentation to uncover innovative building methods, drawing inspiration from local practices. By reconnecting architecture with city planning and valuing existing structures, the collective aims to create interventions that effectively serve both present and future communities.
The prize money will be used to transform the access court into a vibrant cultural space that fosters development for residents of all ages. Alongside the sustainable alleys, a system of endemic vegetation and landscaping will provide shade and enhance aesthetics, complemented by children’s play equipment. By reorganizing the parking area to prioritize pedestrians, a dynamic environment will be created that encourages social interaction and collective enjoyment. Additionally, a cultural programme will host activities such as art exhibitions, theatre and concerts, promoting local talent. This project seeks to strengthen community ties and stimulate sustainable practices that can be replicated in other neighbourhoods of the city.
- Information for the project text was provided by RAMA estudio -
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Advisory Committee Statement
The ‘Sustainable Alleys’ project receives the award for Social Engagement because of its impressive neighbourhood enhancement/upgrade for the local community. Through simple and reproducible interventions, the community created a vibrant, sustainable neighbourhood with organic gardens, improved water management and soil regeneration. Considering how urban redevelopment often results in the disappearance of entire neighbourhoods and the loss of the social capital they treasure, this self-initiated effort serves as an alternative model for similar neighbourhoods worldwide. The advisory committee praises the collaboration between residents and professionals, noting the valuable exchange of knowledge and skills.