earth-toned concrete bike refuge emerges from ecuador's reforested landscape

"Pamba Bike Refuge by URLO Studio is located in Ascázubi, at the base of Pambamarca Hill within the landscape of Pamba Bike Park. Developed as a and resting space for , the project responds to the climatic conditions of the Andes while establishing a direct relationship with the surrounding terrain, vegetation, and panoramic views. The bike park forms part of a larger agricultural property that has undergone extensive reforestation over recent decades, creating a landscape of forested trails and open clearings."

"The architectural intervention is conceived as an extension of the terrain, integrating with the site through material selection, low horizontal massing, and open spatial organization. The design is structured around two pigmented volumes positioned beneath a lightweight laminated roof. Emerging from the ground plane, the concrete elements define the primary enclosed functions of the refuge while reinforcing a visual relationship with the earth-toned landscape."

"One volume accommodates the reception area and , while the other contains the restaurant kitchen and service spaces. Above these solid volumes, a timber roof spans the shared communal areas. Composed of six laminated wood porticos, the structure extends outward through deep front and rear overhangs that blur the boundary between interior and exterior conditions. Beneath the roof, dining and resting areas are organized through integrated planters that define zones of occupation while maintaining continuous visual connections to the surrounding landscape."

"A tempered glass panel positioned along the front facade provides protection from wind and rain without interrupting views toward the bike"

The refuge is located at the base of Pambamarca Hill within the Pamba Bike Park landscape in Ascázubi. It functions as a resting and support space for cyclists while responding to Andean climatic conditions. The site is part of a larger agricultural property that has been extensively reforested, forming forested trails and open clearings. The design references visible ancestral pucarás across the hillside and treats the architecture as an extension of the terrain. Two pigmented concrete volumes rise from the ground to house reception and dining-related service functions. A timber roof spans shared communal areas using laminated wood porticos with deep overhangs. Integrated planters organize dining and resting zones while preserving continuous landscape views, and a tempered glass panel protects the front facade without blocking sightlines.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine