Quito's Rama Estudio has used thick rammed-earth walls and large windows to prop up the slanted roof that covers this residence, built among a eucalyptus plantation in Ecuador. 
Casa Lasso is a 350-square-metre house located in Lasso ? an area in the South American country's Cotopaxi province, which is home to an active stratovolcano of the same room.

The site is also a dry patch that forms part of a farm.
"The land is arid due to the presence of eucalyptus plantations, this has eroded the soil to the point of not having any other plant species in the place," said Rama Estudio in a project description.

In response to these difficult conditions, the practice employed simple materials, like timber beams, wooden boards, stone and rammed earth, and traditional, local building techniques to complete the residence. Among these are bahareque, which comprises walls made of different materials, such as wood, cane, bamboo, earth, mesh and cement mortar, to bolster construction.

The regional technique is suitable for seismic areas, particularly the Andes, as the wooden frame and mesh absorb movements, allowing the walls to move subtly.
"We think of local materials or of nearby areas, in a zonal workforce that allows us to promote the learning and practice of constructive vernacular systems of Cotopaxi," said Rama Estudio.

Topping the residence is massive slanted roof propped up by a series of large clerestory windows, which help to bring indirect sunlight insi...