- Project: House Among Trees
- Architect: El Sindicato Arquitectura
- Location: Ecuador, Quito
- Year: 2019
- Area: 252 m2
- Photography: Andrés Villota, Isabel Delgado, José de la Torre
Living in Dialogue with Nature
Set within the wooded slopes of Cumbayá, a lush valley near Quito, House Among Trees by El Sindicato Arquitectura is an architectural meditation on coexistence. Rather than clearing the site, the architects chose to weave the house gently between mature trees, letting the forest define the rhythm of the design. The result is a residence that blurs the boundary between architecture and landscape — a quiet, contemporary retreat that lives within nature, not beside it.
Site and Concept
The plot is filled with tall native trees, uneven topography, and filtered mountain light. Instead of imposing a rigid structure, the architects followed the logic of the terrain. The home unfolds as a series of interconnected volumes that step lightly across the site, linked by open walkways and garden courtyards.
The design’s guiding idea is continuity — between interior and exterior, between material and light. Each room opens toward nature, offering framed views of trunks, canopies, and sky. The house is not an object in the landscape; it is a path through it.
Spatial Composition
The 252 m² residence is organized into three main zones:
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Public areas — living, dining, and kitchen — arranged around a central patio that becomes the social heart of the home.
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Private areas — bedrooms and bathrooms — tucked into more secluded wings that maintain intimacy and shade.
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Transition areas — covered decks, open corridors, and bridges that flow between interior and exterior space.
The modular layout follows a rhythmic 1.2 m grid, giving the structure an elegant order while allowing flexibility in room placement. The circulation is experiential: moving through the house feels like walking along a forest path, alternating between light and shadow, openness and enclosure.
Materiality and Structure
The architectural language of House Among Trees balances warmth and lightness. A timber structural system — composed of cross-shaped columns and beams — supports the roof and defines the modular rhythm of the house.
The infill panels alternate between transparent glass and solid natural materials such as wood and bahareque (a traditional mixture of cane and clay), creating a balance between exposure and privacy.
The visual and tactile richness of materials is central to the experience. Wood exudes warmth and craftsmanship; glass connects to the forest; earth tones blend the building into its surroundings. This careful composition makes the house feel timeless, both modern and rooted in local tradition.
Light, Shadow, and Atmosphere
Natural light shapes the character of the house throughout the day. Morning light filters through the trees into the eastern rooms, while soft afternoon light glows through western glass walls. The roof overhangs and deep eaves create gentle shadows that cool the spaces and add visual depth.
At night, the interior lighting transforms the home into a lantern among the trees. Warm light seeps through the glazed surfaces, emphasizing the wood grain and reflecting off the garden foliage. The effect is serene and intimate — a home that breathes with its landscape.
Living Within the Forest
The architects preserved as many existing trees as possible, positioning the house carefully between trunks rather than removing them. Outdoor terraces wrap around the main living areas, allowing inhabitants to experience the sounds of wind, birds, and rain from within the safety of shelter.
Openings are placed to capture cross-ventilation, reducing the need for artificial cooling. Materials were locally sourced and assembled with minimal impact on the site. The home’s lightweight footprint and modular system allow it to age naturally alongside the forest.
Sensory Experience
Walking through House Among Trees is like moving through a sequence of living portraits. One moment you face a framed view of the mountains; the next, you stand beside a tree trunk that pierces through a terrace opening. Every step invites awareness — of light, texture, and space.
The sound of footsteps on wood, the smell of fresh timber, the filtered daylight through leaves — these sensory details define the architecture as much as its geometry. It’s a home that engages the body and the mind, turning everyday living into an act of contemplation.
Architectural Philosophy
El Sindicato Arquitectura’s work is rooted in clarity and restraint. For them, architecture is not about dominance but empathy — creating spaces that respect context and enrich daily life.
In House Among Trees, this philosophy materializes through proportion, tactility, and silence. The architects eliminate all unnecessary gestures, allowing structure, light, and nature to tell the story.
The result is an architecture that feels inevitable — as though it has always been there.
A Home of Balance and Belonging
The project stands as a testament to a balanced relationship between human habitation and environment. It shows how modern design can embrace vernacular wisdom — prefabrication for precision, wood for warmth, and openness for climate comfort.
Rather than separating architecture from nature, House Among Trees reveals how deeply intertwined they can be. Every wall, every window, and every line of shadow reinforces a single idea: to live well, one must live with the land.
House Among Trees is more than a residence — it’s an architectural experience shaped by restraint, respect, and rhythm.
By listening to the forest, El Sindicato Arquitectura created a dwelling that feels both contemporary and timeless, rooted in Ecuador’s landscape yet universal in its message.
It is a quiet manifesto for sustainable living: architecture that grows out of its site, speaks the language of its materials, and restores the forgotten dialogue between people and place.
