Projecting over a hillside in the Ecuadorean countryside, this small mirrored viewpoint was designed by Natura Futura Arquitectura as a rest stop for hikers (+slideshow).
The Los Rios-based studio positioned The Invisible Portal on a trail that runs between Guaranda and Babahoyo in the Andes mountains.
The 13-square-metre structure is made from wood but covered in mirrored panels that reflect the mist-filled valley below.
"The number of people who visit the natural vantage point use this space as a point for meeting and to rest on the grass," said Natura Futura.
The mirrored walls are intended to help the observation point blend into its environment.
A small gap in the rear wall of the simple, open-air structure allows visitors to access the wood-lined platform within.
Broad steps that double as a bench lead up to the edge of the pavilion, which cantilevers over the hillside.
From here, visitors can stand on the wall to get a better view of the forested mountains and sheep roaming the pastoral landscape.
Photography is by Natura Futura Arquitectura.
Project credits:
Architecture: Natura Futura Arquitectura
Collaborators: Ramón Vivanco, Nathaly Gaona, Fausto Quiroz, Herman Laroze
