“La Pradería“ sports integration centre

Location Babahoyo, Ecuador Architects Natura Futura Arquitectura EC – Los Rios www.naturafuturarq.com Author Natura Futura Arquitectura Photos JAG Studio

LOW-THRESHOLD SPACE FOR ACTIVITY AND LEISURE

“LA PRADERÍA“ SPORTS INTEGRATION CENTRE IN BABAHOYO

We all know that sport is capable of bringing people together, and this is what architecture firm Natura Futura Arquitectura is committed to. In a socially under-privileged area in Ecuador, the 10 m x 8 m structure of “La Pradería” is a place for the locals to get active and socialise.

La Pradería is located in the rural district of Babahoyo City with a population of approximately 18,000, where there is a complete lack of sports facilities; its infrastructure barely covers basic needs, and complementary spaces are almost never provided. It is important to explore how private entities can promote the creation of spaces that link and reinterpret local architecture with sports activities. Derived from a private initiative A sports promoter dedicated to organising soccer and football tennis championships within the city has recognised the need to create a new space on his private land to establish a new social and sports link between the urban and rural.

La Pradería measuring 10 m x 8 m seeks to be a portal that blurs the line between exterior and

interior to link sporting activity with its surroundings. The project is bounded by two brick walls along the sides; the right side contains services, such as toilets and a storage room, while the left side houses furniture for social gatherings. Located on the ground level are the kitchen and the food bar, built from the brick rubble from the same building. On the upper level, balconies and terraces encourage socialising and the viewing of activities.

The objective of the construction process is to work with and upgrade the local workforce and its traditional techniques, merging them with hybrid technologies like metal structures to create new opportunities for programming. Excluding insects The building envelope consists of metal folding panels carrying wooden lattices and mosquito nets, a technique used in traditional buildings in the area. Its diagonal arrangement improves the stability of the panels, and the natural ventilation flow prevents insects from entering. By opening these elements, it is possible to link social gatherings with sports activities.

The designers have created a convergent architecture that develops the role of sports equipment from the private initiative as a platform for the generation and strengthening of links between urban and rural areas.