Centro de procesamiento de productos agrícolas en la parroquia de Puembo

Abstract

The Agricultural Product Processing Center (CPPA) is an agro-industrial project located in a rural setting, designed to address the needs of the Puembo parish and its residents, whose main economic activities are livestock farming and agriculture—the latter being the primary motivation behind the project. The design features three staggered volumes supported by a structure of steel columns and beams, along with laminated timber arches that form a series of vaults. The central vault is offset from the axis, allowing for a wider span and creating two corridors to facilitate the movement of raw and processed products. Fruit pulping serves as the basis for the processing activities, requiring a loading dock for incoming produce, as well as areas for sorting and cleaning, processing and packaging, storage, and distribution. However, the project has been conceived with a flexible and adaptable approach, allowing the processing and storage spaces to be opened up or subdivided according to the specific requirements of each product type. The Center incorporates local materials such as brick and pine wood, and promotes the use of native trees and shrubs typical of the Puembo area. The two main architectural references are: the “Bodega Protos,” designed by Rogers + Partners, located in Spain; and the “Carozzi Production and Research Center,” by GH+A, located in Chile. It is important to note that the project includes a training area, retail and service stands, a café, and outdoor spaces for the community. These features take advantage of the site’s characteristics, particularly its western boundary, which connects with the “El Chaquiñán” ecological trail—one of the main tourist and recreational routes in the Tumbaco Valley.