BIG has released plans for its second tower in Ecuador, the 24-story mixed-used tower is comprised two rounded blocks that interlock each other and create huge public terraces in between.

Developed in collaboration with Uribe & Schwarzkopf, the new tower will be built in Quito, the greenest capital of Sound America. It will be the second tower of BIG in Ecuador in which the other tower is under construction.

Called EPIQ, the 44,000-square-metre tower is located on the southern tip of La Carolina Park in the center of the city. The shape of the is a quarter of a circle and occupies the west corner intersection of Avenida de la Republica and Avenida Eloy Alfaro, across the street from the new Quito subway.

BIG forms pedestrian trough-block connection at its base to create a new gateway to the park and recently completed subway station. Throughout its height, soft openings are carved into the building mass to create eight distinct blocks. 

"The historical center of Quito with its red herringbone sidewalks is a bombardment of forms, geometry, typography and color. At the south tip of La Carolina park, our aim is to create a three dimensional community: a constellation of building volumes in different sizes that form a holistic whole, offering the residents and their families a variety of sun-filled openings, passages, parks and pockets for play, social life, work and enjoyment," said Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Creative Director, BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group. 

"As architects we are often a little afraid to play with color – in Quito we thought it could be interesting to use color to accentuate the different building blocks and give each volume its own shade of red. 

"IQON was our first collaboration with U&S and also our first project in Latin America. Joining forces on our second project, one can only begin to imagine the level we could take it to by continuing this inspiring collaboration," Ingels added.

Described as "buildings within a building", two blocks are connected by large, communal green terraces at different elevations. The tower  is inspired by the colors and patterns of Ecuador. Ingels takes inspiration from the earth tones and herringbone pattern of tiles seen throughout the streets of Quito's Old City, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

While the façade pattern is based on the scale of the individual apartments, the red and pink hues give each volume its own identity. Together these residential blocks form a vertical neighborhood that exemplifies a new approach to integrating outdoor space into a high-density residential building aimed at fostering a community.

All images © BIG 

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