{"id":5956,"date":"2026-02-25T17:00:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T18:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.angesfinanciers.org\/?p=5956"},"modified":"2026-02-27T16:16:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T16:16:53","slug":"urlo-studio-embeds-bike-shelter-into-ecuadorian-hillside","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.angesfinanciers.org\/index.php\/2026\/02\/25\/urlo-studio-embeds-bike-shelter-into-ecuadorian-hillside\/","title":{"rendered":"Urlo Studio embeds bike shelter into Ecuadorian hillside"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Pamba<\/div>\n

Local architecture practice Urlo Studio<\/a> has based the design of a concrete<\/a>-and-wood pavilion<\/a> for cyclists<\/a> on ancient Andean lookouts, embedding it in a sloped site outside of Quito<\/a>, Ecuador.<\/span><\/p>\n

Known as Pamba Bike Refuge, the 900-square-metre (9,675-square-foot) open-air structure serves as a shelter from the harsh Andean climate for people using the bike park that runs down Pambamarca Hill in Asc\u00e1zubi, Ecuador.<\/p>\n

The refuge is placed so that park users will naturally wander into it.<\/p>\n

\"Pamba
The Pamba Bike Refuge was designed as a shelter for cyclists in the surrounding park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Urlo Studio<\/a>, which has offices in Quito, Ecuador and Valencia, Spain, placed the pavilion between the earth and the forest, using tinted concrete<\/a> and a permeable wooden structure to mimic its surroundings, integrating into and engaging with the landscape rather than imposing itself on it.<\/p>\n

The monumental concrete forms were informed by the ancient architecture of the mountainous region.<\/p>\n

“The solid volumes on each side are reminiscent of ancient pucar\u00e1s \u2013 Andean stone structures that served as housing or lookout points,” the studio told Dezeen, noting that the dogtrot-like form allows for views of the mountain behind the structure and the bike tracks in front of it.<\/p>\n

\"Pamba
It was made from tinted concrete and wood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The concrete volumes on either end \u2013 one holding a reception area and bike shop, and the other a small restaurant cafe \u2013 bookend the resting area in the centre with picnic tables, planters and sunken seating areas.<\/p>\n

The earth-toned pigment of the concrete reinforces the idea that the refuge belongs to the land, while the metal-framed openings bring natural light into the sober interior spaces.<\/p>\n

“The openness of the structure invites riders to use a dynamic space where they can wander seamlessly between inside and outside without barriers, making it easier to move around with their bikes.”<\/p>\n

\"Pamba
The central volume contains a rest space with seating<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mass-timber wooden elements form the canopy structure suspended between the concrete elements, with several paved paths leading into the rest area, which is enclosed only by a waist-high glass partition wall.<\/p>\n

Beyond support, the wooden beams form porticos, giving the structure a rhythm.<\/p>\n

“The laminated-wood roof is conceived as a light and rhythmic element, composed of six robust porticos that support both front and rear overhangs, blurring the boundary between interior and exterior,” the studio said, noting that nearly-invisible tempered glass cascades down the front facade, protecting occupants from weather without breaking the visual connection to the landscape.<\/p>\n