Ecuadorian architecture studio Daniel Moreno Flores has built a house collected from waste materials which were found in the city of Pifo, Quito, Ecuador. 

The house was designed for Ecuadorian illustrator Emilia Andrade to feed Andrade's artistic skill and was designed based on the essence of her job. 

Named House of Flying Tiles, the 68-square-metre house welcomes visitors with a pair of screens that hang old and new tiles to mark this house on the outskirts of Quito.

The construction methodology is much more interesting than the building's form. To build this house, the architect collected waste local materials that the city offers, the architect used wood and tiles out of use of 3 different houses in Quito. 

Daniel Moreno explained the design process with his own words: "The design of the house was born in a search of the essence of the owner. For which it is inquired on many of the topics related to it. From that essence it was identified a lot of creativity, a playful spirit, innocence, exploratory features, surprise seeking, sensory experiences, aim to discover, valuing processes, interested in mutations and changes in space." 

"In this process, much of the characteristics of the owner's character were absorbed and personal meanings were worked on. Due to the passion of the owner for the illustrations, it was established that it was fundamental to get involved in the owner’s logic and make illustrations as a design methodology (a book was made)."

"After understanding this constellation of ideas, we sought to encourage spaces that allow timelessness, so that the owner was able t immerse in reading."

"These spaces seek an intensification in the relationship with some externalities such as the mountain, the low vegetation, the sky and the Guirachuro (a local bird species)," continued Daniel Moreno.

For the location of the house, the architect arranged an event with the owner in which they met to be able to witness the sunrise. This was fundamental to understand where the sun rises and to have that relationship in mind during the whole project," according to the architect.

"It is to be beard in mind that we also looked for a place where the trees gave us hugging and embracing the feeling." 

The house was adapted and placed among multiple trees, which none was removed, so the house is inserted into the place as if it had always been there, highlighting the location of the flora principally. The house is oriented to the view, for the contemplation of the mountain, of the neighborhoods, and of all the plants and trees of the place.

Daniel Moreno sought to make spaces that are discovered, to be traversed in order to experience the house. From the arrival to the house, the architect sought to have a recognizable abstract defined volume - a metallic structure is assembled that hangs old and new tiles. 

When entering the property volumes and planes appear which are projected towards the view or towards the trees which generate different heights and connections in levels. It is a surprising experience.

The main volume that covers the entire house, is configured as an impluvium with a light on its lower side - in the equinoxes will enter the light vertically - the interior is made of a ground floor and of a double-height to the view. To the outside is a sloping terrace contained by the hanging tiles for reading. 

The second volume is the one that configures the bedroom, and its figure corresponds to a very astonishing visual connection where it appears that you be lying in the interior and in the upper part it appears to be lying down or sitting on an inclined plane seeing the mountain in the same way. The third volume, on the other hand, is flat and it embraces a tree, all its foliage is present in the bathroom.

"We seek to reuse those objects that you question about their existence and their ways of showing themselves in the world," added the architect. 

"The house is made of Abeto wood, eucalyptus structure (we do not consume woods from primary forests) and eucalyptus staves from an old house in the city; Totoras of Lake San Pablo; Tejuelos and tiles."

Plans and elevations

Sections and elevations

Sketches

Sketches

Sketches

Tiles detail

Section

Axonometric drawings

Section

All images © JAG Studio

All drawings © Daniel Moreno Flores 

> via Daniel Moreno Flores