Wooden Tea Room Built Over Water Channel in Ecuador

Tea rooms can be found in various cultures throughout history dating as far back as 200 C.E. In Ecuador, Natura Futura Arquitectura has designed a team room elevated over a strait in a rural area of Baba Canton in the Los Rios Province.

The room is inspired by a man named Don Pepe, who traditionally has a cup of tea every afternoon with his family. The adaptable space is intended to preserve the connection between family and the admiration of the natural surroundings.

The size of the tea room is adequate but not excessive, measuring about 26ft x 13ft. It is built from timber wood and stands on 2 concrete structures. Its construction of wooden trusses and large sliding glass panels has similar attributes to both the traditional Japanese style tea rooms and classic mid-century modern architecture. The wood is sourced from the site and built using local labor. Not all the glass panels are mobile, there is a combination of mobile and static panels used to expand the room into nature and blur the separation between people and nature.

The tea room is not completely bare, there is a multifunctional counter and bathroom accessible as well. There are folding lattice doors which open up onto a balcony with a securely placed folding handrail and river stone steps. Together these elements define the extension of the tea room and its connection with the water channel below it.

It can be used as a solitary space for personal contemplation, afternoon tea with friends and family, a morning yoga spot or a relaxing place for weekend visits. .