A 24-story, 100-meter mixed-use tower is set to rise in Quito, Ecuador, the greenest capital in South America.
The BIG-designed building, dubbed EPIQ, is located on the southern tip of La Carolina Park in the center of the city on a quarter-of-a-circle site across from the new Quito subway. The building was designed with rounded corners to allow for panoramic views of the city while minimizing impact from neighboring buildings to daylight exposure. This rounded corner design creates a facade that is a continuously wrapping envelope, meaning the building has no back side.
At EPIQ’s base a pedestrian through-block connection forms a new gateway to a nearby park and the recently completed subway. Also located at the base are offices, lobbies, retail, and a restaurant. The above floors house residential and amenity spaces.
See Also: New social campus for innovators, tech leaders covers a full city block
As the building rises, soft openings are carved into the building mass to create eight district blocks. These buildings within a building are all connected via large, communal green terraces at different elevations to create a vertical neighborhood. The terraces also allow daylight to permeate the entire building.
The building’s colors and patterns are reflective of the earth tones and herringbone pattern of the tiles seen throughout the streets of Quito’s Old City. The facade pattern is based on the scale of the individual apartments with red and pink hues that give each volume its own identity.
The project is currently in progress.
Related Stories
Mixed-Use | Aug 8, 2017
Dorte Mandrup’s 74,000-sm masterplan will be highlighted by an IKEA and BIG’s ‘Cacti’
The mixed-use development links a new IKEA store, a hotel, and housing with green space.
Mixed-Use | Aug 3, 2017
A sustainable mixed-use development springs from a Dutch city center like a green-fringed crystal formation
MVRDV and SDK Vastgoed won a competition to redevelop the inner city area around Deken van Someren Street in Eindhoven.
Mixed-Use | Aug 2, 2017
Redevelopment of Newark’s Bears Stadium site receives team of architects
Lotus Equity Group selected Michael Green Architecture, TEN Aquitectos, Practice for Architecture and Urbanism, and Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners to work on the project.
Retail Centers | Jul 20, 2017
L.A.’s Promenade at Howard Hughes Center receives a new name and a $30 million cash injection
Laurus Corporation and The Jerde Partnership will team up to rebrand the center as a family-friendly dining and entertainment destination.
Office Buildings | Jul 12, 2017
CetraRuddy unveils seven-story office building design for Staten Island’s Corporate Park
Corporate Commons Three is expected to break ground later this summer.
Mixed-Use | Jul 7, 2017
ZHA’s Mandarin Oriental hotel and residences employs ‘stacked vases’ design approach
The mixed-use tower will rise 185 meters and be located in Melbourne's Central Business District.
Office Buildings | Jun 27, 2017
Bloomberg’s European headquarters wants to become a natural extension of London
Foster + Partners’ design rises 10 stories and is composed of two connected buildings.
Multifamily Housing | May 25, 2017
Luxury residential tower is newest planned addition to The Star in Frisco
The building will be within walking distance to the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters.
Mixed-Use | May 24, 2017
Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects will develop mixed-use project on former site of Carlsberg Brewery
The 36,000-sm project will cover a city block and include a residential tower.
Mixed-Use | May 23, 2017
45-story tower planned for Miami Worldcenter
Pickard Chilton Architects will design the 600,000-sf 110 10th Street.
