Diseño de anteproyecto arquitectónico de un centro comunitario en San Fernando, Tungurahua, Ecuador

Abstract

At present, rural Indigenous communities are facing a series of problems and challenges that threaten the continuity of their cultural identity. This thesis develops the preliminary design for a community center in the parish of San Fernando, Ambato (Tungurahua Province), addressing issues such as identity loss, the recognition of the cultural value of local heritage, the cultural reinterpretation of the Indigenous population, and the creation of spaces that reinforce a sense of belonging. The parish of San Fernando is marked by significant rural-to-urban migration, the erosion of local culture, and a scarcity of cultural dissemination spaces. These conditions contribute to the loss of traditional knowledge and the underutilization of the potential for cultural, natural, and community-based tourism. This qualitative research is framed within the paradigm proposed by Leon Krier. First, a diagnostic study of cultural assets is conducted to understand how identity can be translated into architectural space. Second, insights from experts, social actors, and architectural precedents are analyzed to develop a deeper understanding of how cultural spaces are shaped and reinterpreted. Finally, the architectural proposal is formulated. As a result, a preliminary design for the community center is presented, envisioning Indigenous culture expressed through spaces of shared knowledge, exhibition, and cultural tourism that strengthen identity preservation. The relevance of this work lies in its cultural investigation of an Indigenous community, focusing on the interpretation and safeguarding of its intangible heritage. Traditional dress currently in decline reflects a weakening of intergenerational knowledge and a lack of suitable spaces where the community can reinterpret, preserve, and showcase this cultural expression.