A tiny house in Ecuador exemplifies Diana Salvador's eco-sensitive architecture
Diana Salvador, an emerging Ecuadorian architect and her studio feature in the Wallpaper* Architects Directory 2026
The Wallpaper* Architects Directory 2026 welcomes Diana Salvador, a young architect, and her studio in Ecuador are joining our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios.
Who: Diana Salvador
Quito-based architect Diana Salvador’s practice is driven by a desire for innovation and functionality – on various levels. ‘When I think of architecture, I think of tectonic and constructive efficiency in every possible sense. With each new project, I dedicate myself to rethinking the way I design and, consequently, the way I build. I focus on a workflow that provides certainty and absolute control over performance, time, utility, and expenditure. This data allows me to make strategic decisions rooted in a genuine concern for the impact a building generates,’ she explains.
‘This is not an isolated pursuit. My personal quest for maximum efficiency is deeply linked to a desire for self-reliance – not out of arrogance, but from a profound yearning to be able to build with my own two hands. The reality is that for women in this profession, survival is an active, daily endeavour. I have accepted [...] to forge my own way of conceptualising a project, resulting in a practice that is more human, intimate, and accessible.’
Within this context, she adopts sustainable architecture principles, often working with eco-friendly materials and low-impact construction solutions. Her efforts have won her the National Award in Minimal Architecture at the Pan-American Architecture Biennial of Quito (2020) and a finalist position at the UIA 2030 Awards in Paris (2022).
‘What truly matters in the end is coherence and professional responsibility. Minimising our ecological footprint within construction practices is perhaps the most genuine act of reverence toward nature and the future generations that will inhabit it,’ she explains. The landscape and a communion with nature are her biggest influences, the architect adds.
‘What truly matters in the end is coherence and professional responsibility. Minimising our ecological footprint within construction practices is perhaps the most genuine act of reverence toward nature and the future generations that will inhabit it'
Diana Salvador
What: Casa Sula
Set in the subtropical foliage of the Santa Cruz island of the Galápagos, Casa Sula is one of Salvador’s key examples of respectful, sensitive building systems architecture. The house was prefabricated in Quito over two months. Its components were then transported by sea to their final site, where the house was fully assembled in just 25 days.
The home, a contemporary version of a triangle house, is a sleek composition made of some 2,000 custom-made wood, metal, aluminium, and glass pieces (while over 17,000 screws were needed to put the project together, the architecture team flags). Smart passive cooling techniques, such as a gap between two layers of the outer skin, which allows air to circulate, were employed throughout in order to support the structure’s bioclimatic behaviour.
Sula - which is named after a Galápagos Islands’ endemic bird species - is Salvador’s second exercise with prefabricated technology. Many more will follow, the architect emphasises: ‘What sets me apart is how I inhabit my role as an architect: delivering a housing solution without leaving a scar on the environment.’
Why: Architects Directory 2026
When the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory was conceived in 2000, it was built as our bespoke international index of emerging architectural talent. Now in its 25th edition, our annual listing of promising practices from across the globe (now comprising over 500 alumni) champions the best and most promising young studios - a snapshot of talent showcasing inspiring work from all corners of the Earth with an emphasis on the residential realm.
This year’s anniversary survey includes 30 young studios (one for each of the 30 years of Wallpaper*), from Australia, Bahrain, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Ecuador, Ghana, Greece, France, Ivory Coast, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, India, Morocco, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the USA, and Vietnam. Welcome to the promise, ideas and exciting architecture of the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2026.
