Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light

In a rural area near Calacalí, TEC Taller EC built the facility on a square plan using black cement blocks crowned by a metallic roof with skylights.

The Quito-based firm TEC Taller EC completed the headquarters of a company that produces cereals, such as quinoa and amaranth, provided by local producers. The 300 sqm structure is located on a terraced site in the rural parish of Calacalí, close to the Pululagua volcano. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, Calacalí, Ecuador, 2018. Photo Lorena Darquea Schettini, Paolo Caicedo

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, diagram

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, diagram

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, long section

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, plan

Ecuador. A bipartite cereal factory bathed by natural light In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form. The squared-plan is divided in three spans that correspond to the modules of the roof: three skylights open towards East.

TEC Taller EC, Mikhuna Trade headquarters, illustration

From the lateral flights of steps that run parallel to the east elevation, a central door gives access to the building. The first space the visitor meets houses the office area, which is distributed on two floors and occupies one of the three spans of the roof structure. The other two modules are dedicated to the productive activities and host the machineries dedicated to the processing of raw cereals.

The interiors of Mikhuna Trade headquarters by TEC Taller EC

The building’s form has been conceived following the functional needs of the company in combination with an understanding of the natural phenomena that characterise the context.  The shed-like structure allows natural light to enter the building in the early hours of the day, facilitating the process of heating, while protecting the interiors from warmest hours of the day. In the project, the priority has been given to the internal logic producing a simple form.

The concept of the building as illustrated by Carlos Valarezo
  • Mikhuna Trade
  • Calacalí, Ecuador
  • TEC Taller EC
  • Pablo Castro Guijarro, Roberto Morales Guijarro
  • TEC Taller EC, Juan Ruiz / Cynthia Quintero
  • Juan Ruiz, Cynthia Quintero, Daniel Rodríguez, Gabriel Echeverría, Hillary Jarrín, Bryan Velasteguí
  • 300 sqm
  • 2018