Aquarela Tower, Quito

The French practice Ateliers Jean Nouvel, founded by Pritzker Prize winning architect Jean Nouvel, recently completed the first phase for the stone-clad Aquarela complex in Cumbaya, Quito. The first three towers (Terra, Aqua and Cielo) were revealed in December 2020, while the subsequent three phases of completion are set to be finished in the years 2021 to 2023.

Located on the side of a volcano, the high-rise apartment complex will include six towers hosting 600 units among flats and facilities upon completion and will be representative of a new type of development for the city.
The design has been tailored to respond to its surroundings and the use of natural materials reflect the topography of the space: the stone exteriors intertwine with the native plants and create a beautiful exterior façade which appears as a monolith, complementing the contours of the lush green Tumbaco valley that it is nestled in. Keeping sustainability as one of the driving factors in the design, the Aquarela complex demonstrates a commitment to being ecologically conscious. Solar panels that will be mounted on the buildings will be responsible for heating the water used in the complex. The water for the gardens will come from rainwater harvesting and all the waste water from the apartments’ plumbing systems will be filtered and re-circulated. Also, as the trees would be cut during the construction process, for every felled tree, 10 more will be planted to make up for the loss.