Uploaded on 2015-05-05 by MartinCalistoFriant

![Globalised construction in Quito, Ecuador][1] [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14308055826692814.jpg This image shows one of the latest building developments in a hip residential neighbourhood of Quito, Ecuador called la Floresta. La Floresta neighbourhood is know for its small traditional rustic houses made of red brick and wood as well as its artsy inhabitants which include many designers, architect, artists and intellectuals. This building is a new addition to la Floresta and it had a very different design and construction than the rest of the structures in the area. Not only is it made of steel reinforced cement and aluminium plates (the steel and the aluminium is imported while the cement is made locally but most probably by a foreign company) but it also has an architecture which contrast deeply with the soul of the neighbourhood. The style and form of the building is thus clearly as foreign as are the building materials. When building, one not only has to take into account the physical materials used, but also the cultural expressions which are rendered. Sustainability, is thus not only about choosing environmentally friendly local materials but also about choosing local design which express the values and aspirations of its peoples.