T h e ta c t i c a l i n c o r p o r at i o n Girasol �g.23 Torre Sunf lower Tower ODD+ ARCHITECTS
Sunf lower Tower is a residential building inspired by the rhythmic formations of sunf lower seeds and petals.
In Quito, a city straddling the equator, where the sun is positioned at almost 90 degrees yearlong, architecture – particularly of high-rise buildings– has the immense potential of becoming vertical ecosystems that can take advantage of the equatorial rays, contributing to build an urbanism that responds to –what we believe– is the intrinsic need for inhabitants to be in a permanent relationship with nature. In this sense, Sunflower Tower takes advantage of the geo-location of the equinoxial Andean city to form a selfsufficient and sustainable deposit of plant life. This biophilia-based design not only reduces the carbon footprint of homes, but also allows residents to have a constant and direct connection with nature. Each apartment is surrounded by a mini forest of its own, amidst a dense urban surrounding, which creates a unique user experience, and changes the typical urban backdrop by adding a layer of nature to the user’s lens. Our application and incorporation of nature in architecture, not only generates new and unexpected view points, but more importantly, reconsiders the way in which we perceive and interact with our environment. It implies a deconstruction of the way in which we operate within the built world, with the novelty of connecting human beings with other living systems. 47