Productive Floating House - La Balsanera: A Sustainable Floating Home in Ecuador

Reviving Traditional Floating Housing on the Babahoyo River

Historical Context and Decline of Floating Homes

For centuries, the Babahoyo River in Ecuador served as a vital commercial waterway, with floating houses acting as key hubs for merchants and farmers traveling between Guayaquil and Quito. These structures demonstrated resilience and adaptability, supporting economic activities such as fishing and boat manufacturing. However, as the river's role in trade diminished, the number of floating homes declined from 200 to just 25, putting this intangible cultural heritage at risk of extinction.

Government policies have further threatened this way of life by designating riverbanks as high-risk zones, prompting relocation efforts that overlook the socio-cultural significance of floating homes. Despite these challenges, the remaining families continue to fight for their right to inhabit and sustain their livelihoods on the river.

A Sustainable Housing Solution: La Balsanera

Addressing the Needs of a River-Dwelling Family

Designed by Natura Futura Arquitectura in collaboration with Juan Carlos Bamba, La Balsanera is a prototype for sustainable floating housing in Babahoyo, Ecuador. This home was developed for a family of three—Carlos, Teresa, and their son, who have lived on the river for over 30 years. Carlos repairs wooden boats, while Teresa prepares and sells traditional food, both relying on the river's resources for their livelihood. Their previous dwelling was structurally unsound and lacked basic services, making daily life difficult.

Architectural Design and Construction Approach

Expanding Functionality Through Modular Design

The design extends the existing 6m x 7m platform by 2 meters on each side, enhancing both living and productive spaces. The structure is built using locally sourced wood, with modular frames spaced every 2 meters. A gable roof with wooden lattice boundaries improves natural ventilation and lighting, ensuring a comfortable and sustainable environment.

Thoughtful Space Allocation for Productivity

The floating home preserves the central living areas—the living room, dining room, kitchen, and bedrooms—while adding specialized zones for work and daily needs:

• Boat workshop for Carlos' craft
• Traditional food preparation area for Teresa
• Dry toilet, laundry, and shower facilities
• Terrace extension for social gatherings and potential tourist interaction

The design ensures that traditional livelihoods remain viable while improving living conditions and sustainability.

A Model for Sustainable Floating Architecture

Integration of Ancestral Techniques and Resource Reuse

La Balsanera was developed as part of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial (SAT), which promotes scarcity-conscious design, material reuse, and ancestral building techniques in the Global South. Natura Futura and Juan Carlos Bamba utilized materials often discarded after ephemeral constructions, repurposing them into a long-term sustainable floating home.

A Step Towards Policy Change

Beyond providing a functional and durable residence, La Balsanera serves as a model for future floating homes, demonstrating how architecture can empower vulnerable communities. This initiative highlights the urgent need for public policies that recognize floating houses as a viable, sustainable, and culturally significant form of housing.

 Preserving the Floating Heritage of Babahoyo

By combining traditional techniques with innovative design, La Balsanera offers a scalable solution for preserving floating communities. It stands as an example of how architecture can address both environmental and socio-economic challenges, ensuring that the rich cultural heritage of river-based living is not lost but revitalized for future generations.

All Photographs are works of Francesco Russo