Yuyarina Pacha means “Space-Time to Think” in Kichwa. This project is located in the community of Huaticocha, in the buffer zone of the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve, in the Ecuadorian Amazon. In 2019, the Laboratorio Creativo Sarawarmi and Witoca, an agricultural association focused on coffee in the community of Huaticocha started a pilot non-formal education project with local children. What began as a reading club quickly evolved into a space for holistic learning. The library and reading club are more than just a place to look at books; they are a safe space where local children can learn, play and create.
The reading club was a great success. The small space in which it was held needed to become a full-fledged library, and since there was no community meeting space available, it also needed to fulfill that function.
These needs led to the final configuration of the project, where the program is divided into three floors: An open ground floor for art and science workshops that involves water, plastics, food, etc., which also serves as a space for informal events for the Association and other spontaneous gatherings; a first floor for activities without water, where the bibliographic collections are housed and children can access the books in an open shelf format; this is one of the Association’s largest spaces, so meetings and other activities are also held there; and a second floor focused on digital languages, where tablets and computers are used to store audio collections of stories aimed at preserving the community’s oral memory; it also houses the magazine collection, which can be enjoyed at a balcony reading table connected to the central void of the first floor.
The main structure of the project is made of Chonta, an Amazonian palm known for its incredible durability and strength. For generations, traditional houses in the region have relied on Chonta for construction, as its structure can be anchored directly into the ground without the need for waterproofing. The architecture embraces the pragmatic value of the region’s ancestral building practices and adapts them to contemporary needs.
In this architecture, millimetric precision is a challenge because the materials are organic and irregular. Therefore, the design takes into account potential variations and adapts to the imperfections of the materials. The thatched roof, characterized by its steep pitch, responds to the region’s rainy climate. For the library, a glass skylight was incorporated into the ridge, which not only provides natural overhead lighting, but also facilitates the construction and maintenance of the project. The ridge of a thatched roof is the most complex part to build and requires the most care and maintenance.
This community project is a commitment to durability and self-management. The appropriation of the site began with a local event even before construction was completed. The Yuyarina Pacha Community Library is not only a space for knowledge, but also a testimony to the ability of rural communities to take charge of their own development, despite being neglected by the state, and to a culture that maintains a more harmonious relationship with the place it inhabits.
