Ancestral Journey Through Craftsmanship: A Ceramics Craft Production Center In Harmony With The Nature Of Loma Amarilla Ecological Park | Bachelors Design Project

Site Context

The project is located in Santiago de Surco’s Loma Amarilla Ecological Park. A contextual analysis was done for the initial stage, which revealed the hill’s rich vegetation and significant topography. Since there hasn’t been a program or activity on the hill at present, structures are being built that disturb the area without aiding to activate it.

Therefore, the challenge is to develop a program that allows biological processes to continue while revitalising this park.

Design Process

The Puruchuco Huaca, a place of worship in the ancient Andes, served as the reference for the analysis of two sectors. It is evident in the first sector how these enormous walls create this interior space and how they are used to create niches and other uses. The roof’s disintegration, which creates the space, is also noticeable.

It is evident in the second sector that these large walls, which are at varying heights, define not only interior spatiality but also circulations like ramps or areas for lingering in between them. The value of the wall, which acts as a continuation of the cut with this same element—the earth—is what is emphasized in the concept.

The concept or imagery focused on using the hill’s topography to create axes that connect the park’s lower and middle sections. These axes produce platforms that rise and fall as well as filled and empty spaces produced by planes. In some places, these axes will have a hierarchy that creates areas for people to stay.

These three guiding principles were thus adhered to: first, that by opening and closing the walls, you can create habitability; second, that certain planes can create views if they are staggered; and third, that certain squares or plazas can be created among the planes that adjust to the topography and intersect. As a result, these axes developed into compacted earth walls that emerged out of the ground to create areas that respect and blend in with their surroundings.

Final Outcome

The project aims to balance architecture with the site’s natural environment. Using compacted earth walls that respect and blend in with the surroundings, it makes use of the park’s natural topography to connect various sections. These walls evoke pre-Columbian architecture and local culture in addition to defining the center’s functional areas, which range from clay extraction to ceramic painting (production process).

The project aims to enhance visitors’ sensory experience and support biological processes through architecture, ensuring the continuation of ecosystem services. It operates on land, incorporating wall separations for habitation and vegetation cultivation. Water resources are utilized through irrigation channels integrated into sloped walls, which ensure continuous flow to cultivation areas for pigments and serve as contemplative elements. These channels also serve as structural functions.

The section clarifies the distinction between solid and void spaces in the project, proposing strategies to transform these voids into versatile plazas and public spaces. These spaces are integrated into the landscape, maintaining openness and fluidity with the surroundings. Rammed earth walls are used for various functions, with some leaving open for views, others shaped into seats for rest and interaction, and others textured for sensory elements.

Vegetation is essential in creating shade and providing practical utility in a center, with Carob, Alder, and Achiote trees being chosen for their value. The roof composition consists of wooden beams and cane with a mud terrace roof, with skylights for natural light entry. This construction system was chosen over conventional ones like concrete or metal, as the earth serves as a wall and provides habitability between them, enhancing the overall comfort and aesthetic appeal.

The detailed model of the project reveals its scale and structural composition, revealing the layers of earth that make up the walls, reflecting pre-Columbian architecture. It also highlights the vertical circulation, designed as a fluid journey via ramps connecting the base level to the highest point.  It showcases the structure of rammed earth walls and fluid vertical circulation through ramps, while also focusing on the topography of public plazas. The topography adapts surfaces to create accessible spaces, while gutters are strategically integrated into the walls to channel irrigation water to surrounding vegetation, promoting ecological sustainability. 

Conclusion: Ultimately, the project facilitates access and creates a continuous sensory experience, integrating visitors with the natural environment of Loma Amarilla Ecological Park and the stages of the ceramic process. The design ensures a functional and accessible center, respecting and enhancing the natural and cultural environment for all visitors.

[This Academic Project has been published with text and images submitted by the student]