Natura Futura Builds with Ecuadorian River Wisdom and Radical Softness

Ecuadorian architecture studio Natura Futura, founded in Babahoyo, works along the Babahoyo River, drawing on local craft, climate, and community knowledge. In an interview with designboom, the studio describes its approach as 'less about creating objects and more about understanding relationships.' Key project La Balsanera (2023, with Juan Carlos Bamba) is a 70-square-meter floating house for Carlos, Teresa, and their son, who have lived on the river for over 30 years. It preserves their livelihood—boat repair and traditional food—while adding a workshop, dry toilet, and terrace. The studio emphasizes 'continuity through transformation' rather than static preservation. Other projects include Las Tejedoras (Chongón, 2023), Santay Observatory (Isla Santay, 2022), House of Time (Babahoyo, 2026), and La Panificadora (Babahoyo, 2025). Floating houses on the Babahoyo River have declined from about 200 to 25, yet remain recognized as Ecuador's intangible heritage. Natura Futura's 'Radical Softness' frames architecture as care, repair, and coexistence, prioritizing local economies and collective memory.