{"id":4838,"date":"2026-02-17T19:00:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T20:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.angesfinanciers.org\/?p=4838"},"modified":"2026-02-20T08:39:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T08:39:57","slug":"al-borde-arquitectos-uses-adobe-for-biosecure-laboratory-in-ecuador","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.angesfinanciers.org\/index.php\/2026\/02\/17\/al-borde-arquitectos-uses-adobe-for-biosecure-laboratory-in-ecuador\/","title":{"rendered":"Al Borde Arquitectos uses adobe for “biosecure” laboratory in Ecuador"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Witoca<\/div>\n

Ecuadorian studio Al Borde Arquitectos<\/a> has completed a compact laboratory<\/a> in the Amazon using vaulted adobe construction for local community research to “break external chemical dependency”.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Witoca Lab was completed in February 2025 in Huaticocha, Provincia de Orellana, Ecuador<\/a>. The 46-square metre (495-square foot) research facility is located in the buffer zone of the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve.<\/p>\n

\"Witoca
Al Borde Arquitectos has completed a three-pointed adobe lab in Ecuador<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The lab produces antagonistic microorganisms that discourage pests from damaging the Amazon’s coffee<\/a> and cocoa production.<\/p>\n

Its location within the Ecuadorian Amazon<\/a> allows the Witoca community to assume a strategic role in the region and protect local farming operations.<\/p>\n

\"Witoca
The lab develops pest repellent for the Amazon’s coffee and cocoa production<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rather than being open for ventilation like much Amazonian architecture, the laboratory is closed off with vernacular materials to protect the delicate biological research within.<\/p>\n

Using local soil and following the natural topography, the lab minimises its environmental impact while meeting the high-tech standards of its program.<\/p>\n

\"Witoca
In contrast to traditional local architecture, it is completely sealed to be biosecure<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“The design provides a hermetic, biosecure environment by utilizing the high thermal mass of adobe vaults as a passive engine,” Al Borde Arquitectos<\/a>, which is based in Quito, Ecuador, told Dezeen.<\/p>\n

“This system naturally stabilises interior temperatures for microorganism production, meeting strict technical requirements within the extreme Amazonian climate.”<\/p>\n

\"Witoca
Local soil was used in its construction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The building consists of a raw-earth structure with an exterior asphalt membrane to protect against tropical rains finished with washable paint on the interior to meet laboratory hygiene standards.<\/p>\n

Three symmetrical, parabolic arches intersect to form a Y-shaped plan. The east-facing vault serves as the main access point, while the other two are separated off for reproduction and incubation, converging in the center for the primary laboratory space.<\/p>\n