![El Guarango House / Bernardo Bustamante - Windows, Forest](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5683/2318/e58e/ce2d/3c00/0154/newsletter/Portada_MG_0614.jpg?1451434730)
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Architects: Bernardo Bustamante
- Area: 108 m²
- Year: 2015
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Photographs:Sebastián Crespo, Raed Gindeya Muñoz
![El Guarango House / Bernardo Bustamante - Cityscape, Forest](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5683/22ba/e58e/ce2d/3c00/0153/newsletter/DJI_0318.jpg?1451434649)
Text description provided by the architects. The Guarango House is located in Rumiloma, one of the hills that stems from the Ilaló, a hill that has recently been integrated to become part of Quito´s rapidly growing urban area. Rumiloma´s irregular topography with its steep slopes and sharp ravines creates an astonishing view of the Ecuadorean Andes.
![El Guarango House / Bernardo Bustamante - Table, Windows, Chair](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5683/2109/e58e/ce62/ae00/014b/newsletter/_MG_0637.jpg?1451434201)
The house is situated in the uppermost area of a large batch of three hectares taking advantage of a natural existing platform, similar to the plant of the houses´ single floor base área, which avoids interfering with the land´s natural given characteristics.
![El Guarango House / Bernardo Bustamante - Windows, Facade, Beam, Handrail, Deck](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5683/2141/e58e/ce2d/3c00/014e/newsletter/_MG_0657.jpg?1451434256)
The architectural program was conceived as a weekend two bedroom home, with a social area that doubles its size, by integrating the outer covered terrace which in itself extends its view endlessly towards the Inga Valley, the site of Ecuador´s first human settlements.
![El Guarango House / Bernardo Bustamante - Image 17 of 23](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5683/23ad/e58e/ce62/ae00/0151/medium_jpg/floor_(2).jpg?1451434902)
It was built in 75 days, optimizing resources to reduce costs to a mínimum, despite the difficult access to the projects location.
![El Guarango House / Bernardo Bustamante - Handrail, Beam](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5683/2214/e58e/ce2d/3c00/0151/newsletter/_MG_0705.jpg?1451434467)
The construction technology used, fuses the metal framework with load- bearing brick masonry. A contemporary effect is achieved with the use of ancestral resources such as handcrafted clay bricks made at the same location with clay soil from the ground.
![El Guarango House / Bernardo Bustamante - Image 15 of 23](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5683/20af/e58e/ce62/ae00/014a/newsletter/_Group_1_-Casa_Ilalo_bb_(5_of_223)_Casa_Ilalo_(8_of_223)-4_images.jpg?1451434129)
In the Inner architectural design, the need to close and shield the house on all fronts when the owners are not present was taken into account by creating a system of sliding gates designed to also hide from view within the same structures of the house when open.
![El Guarango House / Bernardo Bustamante - Image 10 of 23](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5683/208e/e58e/ce2d/3c00/014c/newsletter/Casa_Ilalo_(2_of_223)_copia.jpg?1451434098)
Water is scarce in this region and there is no drinking water supply. It doesn´t rain for half of the year , therefore rain water is collected from the roof in an artificial grotto dug next to the house which is then complemented by a system of cisterns that collect water through integrated gutters placed in strategic areas of the land, which in turn help with the reforestation of the site.
![El Guarango House / Bernardo Bustamante - Image 22 of 23](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5683/23d1/e58e/ce62/ae00/0152/newsletter/section_(2).jpg?1451434946)
This project demonstrates how it is possible to solve the need to build a weekend house in a rural area with a unique and simple volume using honest traditional and contemporary materials, and without hiding constructive elements, generating efficiency and synthetism consistent with a sustainable idea.
![El Guarango House / Bernardo Bustamante - Windows, Door, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5683/21b9/e58e/ce62/ae00/014d/newsletter/_MG_0677.jpg?1451434375)