- Project: Slope House
- Architect: El Sindicato Arquitectura
- Location: Ecuador, Cumbaya
- Year: 2021
- Area: 200 m2
- Photography: Andrés Villota
Carving a Home into the Andean Slope
Perched on a steep-sloped site overlooking the valley and the Ilaló volcano, Slope House by El Sindicato Arquitectura is a thoughtful response to terrain, views and family life. Instead of flattening the land, the design embraces the slope—dividing the program into three staggered blocks, linked by a gliding path and walkable rooftops—thus turning the incline from obstacle into opportunity.
Strategy & Spatial Zoning
The project addresses the needs of a family of four—parents and two daughters—each requiring privacy and autonomy. The design organizes functions into three main blocks:
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The upper block aligns with the garage and entrance and hosts the living room, dining area and social bathroom.
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The middle block houses the kitchen (the heart of the home), surrounded by a garden/vegetable plot and the parents’ bedroom at a slight level difference.
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The lower block contains the two daughters’ bedrooms—equal in size yet differentiated in configuration: one with a balcony facing exterior, the other prioritizing storage/dressing rituals.
A glazed corridor-staircase connects the blocks, negotiating the slope while allowing panoramic views and access to multiple terrace levels.
Terrain & Views as Generative Forces
Rather than hiding the slope, the architecture uses it. Each block is elevated to align with its own garden or terrace, creating outdoor spaces at interior-level height. The staggered volumes step down the site, and walkable rooftops tie together the blocks while delivering additional outdoor surfaces and vantage points. Views toward Ilaló volcano and the valley are activated from multiple levels.
Materials & Construction Logic
The side walls (east and west) are designed as both privacy buffers and thermal mass: cavity brick walls composed of double brick rows with a 5 cm concrete cavity. The result is a wall system that reduces slenderness, serves as formwork and functions as both exterior finish and structural element. The circulation path uses glass enclosures to make the stair-corridor light and transparent, bridging levels while maintaining connection with landscape.
The material palette is disciplined: exposed brick and concrete, glazed links, and generous terraces. These materials connect to both the regional context and the tectonic clarity of the design.
Outdoor Living & Roof-Terrace Integration
One of the most striking features is the layering of outdoor space: each block is paired with a garden or terrace at the same level as its interior, enabling seamless indoor-outdoor living. The glazed staircase path extends up to the roof, turning the roof plane into a walkable terrace and linking terrace to terrace. This strategy expands usable outdoor area on a steep site and turns circulation into an experiential promenade through landscape and architecture.
Privacy, Autonomy & Family Dynamics
By segregating the blocks and linking them only through the path, the design grants each family member both connection and independence. The girls’ rooms occupy their own distinct volume, the parents’ zone is adjacent to the kitchen/garden but visually connected, and the social living zone is at the top. This thoughtful allocation of function mirrors modern family dynamics and allows architecture to mediate relationships.
Significance & Architectural Merit
Slope House is an exemplary illustration of how architecture can engage difficult sites with intelligence rather than compromise. The steep terrain becomes a design ally rather than a constraint. The house demonstrates how clarity of program, honesty of material, and strong connection to context can result in a home that feels both grounded and expansive.
For architecture enthusiasts and professionals alike, this project offers lessons on modular zoning, terrain-responsive design, and layered outdoor living—all wrapped in a modest footprint but rich spatial experience.
In Slope House, El Sindicato Arquitectura has crafted more than a beautiful residence—they have carved a living environment out of slope and sky. The architecture is sculptural yet comfortable, thoughtful yet intuitive, private yet connected. It is a home that celebrates topography, supports family life and offers multiple perspectives on nature and living.
