The Temporary Shelter and Community Kitchen in Macas

The Temporary Shelter and Community Kitchen in Macas, Ecuador was created, as part of the Territorial Development Projects Program of the Ecuadorian Government, to address the needs of the homeless community in the areas influenced by the energy generating plants. The public and private sectors formed an alliance with a goal of addressing the unmet basic needs of the homeless and of reducing poverty through social investment.

Macas is the cantonal capital of the Morona Canton and capital of the Province of Morona Santiago. It is located in the south-central part of the Amazon Region of Ecuador, at an altitude of 1030 m above sea level and with a tropical rainy climate of 19 °C on average.

The Temporary Shelter and Community Kitchen project has created a space that both meets the housing and food needs of the homeless population, and fosters a sense of community and belonging. The clients are offered a welcoming space and helped to achieve a dignified life.

The building design requirements were to create a simple concept that could accommodate a complex program. The building needed to be able to host a wide range of services including spaces that could accommodate twenty people at night, and an additional forty people for daily meals.

The final project design was solved longitudinally. The main entrance is located in the central part of the building with a large articulating hall, and a right and left wing. These wings serve to separate services into zones in a way that avoids the crossing of uses and facilitates the user control. The private right wing is mainly composed of the bedrooms, a meeting area and a rest area. The areas of the building with public access are concentrated in the left wing. This left wing includes medical services, a multipurpose room, an administrative area, a kitchen and a dining room. In addition, the building offers green areas and a multipurpose court that encourage outdoor activity and social interaction.

With the consideration of accessibility for all users, the project was designed on a single level and the building was located at the highest land elevation with the least slope. This location allowed for a raised dining room with interesting panoramic views. The articulating hall, with controlled openings, was strategically oriented towards the west, while all the rooms have large east facing openings which increase their connection with the environment. Skylights were incorporated on the roof to guarantee lighting and provide effective cross ventilation.

The project design is based on simplicity and modularity. The typical typology of a house was used as a module, extruding it to create the main volume of the building. This is characterized by its use of black metal sheets that contrast with the cladding of the adjacent rectangular volume.