Cholán Nests House: Warehouse Converted in Ecuador

Architecture studio La Cabina de la Curiosidad has converted a modest block-walled warehouse in the rural parish of Perucho, roughly 35 kilometers from Quito, into a combined home and artist studio spanning 105 square meters. Led by architects Marie Combette and Daniel Moreno Flores, alongside design team member David Rodríguez, the intervention focuses heavily on rebuilding the upper structure to address moisture damage and a failing clay-tile roof.

The newly constructed upper level exhibits a handmade aesthetic using locally sourced components. Eucalyptus poles shape the primary frame, while split cane lines the overhead surfaces. Thermal insulation is provided by coconut fiber, and inexpensive paper egg cartons serve as acoustic insulation underneath the metal roof. This exposed construction grants the bedrooms a loft-like shelter feel while maintaining visual ties to the main volume below.

Timber walkways run along the edges of the double-height space, passing the suspended rooms and overlooking the living areas and studio. The architectural elements remain fully exposed, with round poles meeting beams directly and tension cables crossing the walls. The house reads as a layered composition, placing a lightweight timber structure above the heavier original masonry base.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Raising the roof enabled the studio to introduce clerestory windows and expansive glass facades that connect the interior with surrounding fields and views of the Cholán tree and mountains beyond Perucho. Ground-level changes are straightforward, involving the removal of an interior wall to form a continuous living space and reusing dismantled roof timbers to level floors between the kitchen and living area.

Source: designboom