Yuyarina Pacha means ‘space-time to think’ in Kichwa, one of Ecuador’s official native languages. This library is located in the community of Huaticocha, in the buffer zone of the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve, in the Ecuardorian Amazon. In 2019, the Sarawarmi and Witoca Creative Library – a coffee-focused agricultural association in the community – started a non- formal educational project with local children. What began as a reading club evolved into a center for holistic learning. This library is a testimony to the ability of rural communities to take charge of their development, despite the neglect of the state, and attests to a culture in harmony with the environment.

The 186-square-meter construction comprises three levels. The ground floor is used for association events and for art and science workshops. The story above is where the bibliographic collections are housed, and community meetings can be held in this large space. And the top level is where users can find tables and computers containing stories in audio form, the aim being to preserve the community’s oral memory. There is also a magazine collection, which can be enjoyed at a balcony reading table connected to the central void.

In accordance with vernacular building tradition, the main structure is made of chonta, an Amazonian palm known for its durability and strength. Millimetric precision is an architectural challenge here because the materials are organic and irregular, so the design adapts to their imperfections. The thatched roof, characterized by its steep pitch, addresses the rainy climate, but in the actual library a glass skylight was incorporated into the ridge.