IQON

The IQON building will become a landmark on the Quito skyline as the tallest building in the city. Developed by Uribe & Schwarzkopf (U&S) with design by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), IQON contains 154 apartments with office and retail space. U&S and BIG sought to incorporate the adjacent La Carolina park into the building’s design by creating public gardens on the ground floor of IQON to encourage not only residents, but also the public to enjoy the natural environment surrounding the building.

The building itself also embraces nature with trees and plants climbing up the façade of the 33-floor building. The exterior is made of rotating concrete boxes that form a unique, geometric design, serving the dual purpose of both an “urban tree farm” and private terraces for residents. Trees native to the region will be planted in the exterior concrete boxes until they outgrow the space and are planted in La Carolina park, creating a cycle of giving back to the natural environment. U&S and BIG hope that IQON will be renowned as a building that celebrates the nature and biodiversity of Ecuador.

In addition to green features that conserve natural resources, U&S also chose to use local materials and sustainable methods of landscaping and waste management for the building. U&S has constructed homes and commercial buildings in Quito and across the country for more than 40 years. The award-winning BIG has designed innovative buildings around the world since 2005, but IQON marks their first building in South America. IQON has received a preliminary EDGE certificate from GBCI.