Edificio Isabela, a residence in Cuenca, Ecuador, offers a creative morphology that increases both interior square footage and exterior balcony space simultaneously. The building, which was designed by Ruptura Morlaca Arquitectura (a local Ecuadorian studio,) features angled concrete volumes that cantilever from the front-facing facade, expanding the space horizontally without adding to frontage.
Thanks to the cantilevering of Edificio Isabela's rooms, the exterior portions of those concrete volumes extend far enough out to form balconies for its residents. Those angled sections aren't just an architectural flourish, either. They cause the balconies to line up parallel with the street outside, giving a more harmonious view of the surrounding scenery. Considering that Cuenca is a temperate enclave surrounded by the hills and peaks of the Andes, such a view is more than desirable.
Cantilevered Concrete Rooms
Edificio Isabela's Facade is Marked by Protruding Concrete Volumes
Trend Themes
1. Cantilever Architecture - The trend of buildings featuring angled concrete volumes cantilevered from their facades to create expansion of space horizontally without adding to frontage.
2. Maximizing Interior and Exterior Space Simultaneously - The trend of buildings increasing both interior square footage and exterior balcony space simultaneously through creative morphology.
3. Harmonious Views - The trend of architecture that enhances views of surrounding scenery by lining up balconies parallel with the street outside.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture - The architecture industry can incorporate cantilever design for a more practical and aesthetic building approach.
2. Real Estate Development - The real estate developers can use cantilevered construction to maximize the interior and exterior spaces of a building, offering a unique and attractive product.
3. Tourism and Hospitality - The tourism and hospitality industry can utilize architecture with harmonious views to offer an enhanced and unique experience for guests.