Gaia Building, Ecuador

Completed at the end of 2016, the Gaia Building has been heralded as a new landmark for the Ecuadorian capital of Quito. Designed by Leppanen + Anker Arquitectos, the building uses an innovative moulded façade system.

Creating 15,000 sq. m of mixed-use space, and topped with a large roof garden, the 15-storey tower provides a combination of commercial, office and residential units.

The building uses a repeating pattern to reduce the number of moulds used in forming the distinctive glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC) façade.

The benefits of this sinuous façade material include the efficiency and ease of its installation. A system of adjustable metallic connections allows easy alignment of the complex forms, and the 4m panels can be reused.

As the first new construction in the neighbourhood, the intention behind the design was to combine diverse elements to produce a ‘play of light and shadow of the surroundings’. Carved around the perimeter are deep balconies, intended to help reduce solar gain allow large glazing sections to be used without reducing the efficiency of the passively-controlled internal spaces.

[All images © Sebastián Crespo]

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