Centro de Atención y Educación Nutricional Infantil en Los Lojas, Ecuador

Abstract

In Ecuador, chronic child malnutrition affects 27.2% of children under 2 years of age and 1 in 4 children under 5 years of age, it is considered one of the main public health problems in the country. This problem indirectly affects the country’s productivity and has a negative effect throughout the life of the people who suffer from it. It is a problem that cannot be seen with the naked eye, which is why it has not been properly addressed. Currently, Ecuador is the second country with the highest prevalence of DCI in Latin America. Despite the fact that DCI develops in the first years of life, it has future consequences, it is related to negative effects on cognitive development, late entry to the educational system, higher school dropouts and, when reaching adulthood, It presents a greater risk of developing chronic diseases, lower productivity, and consequently, difficulties for labor and social inclusion. “Ecuador must put an end to the DCI, it cannot wait another second” Due to this urgency of action, seeking to maximize coverage and access to the affected population, the need arises to create a Nutritional Care and Education Center where a therapeutic care model will be implemented in the community. Because the population served is in a situation of vulnerability, it is proposed to create a space where users feel identified, thus generating trust and a sense of belonging, for this reason it is proposed to create an architectural design influenced by the environment and cultural characteristics. characteristic of the region. Additionally, a modular architecture will be implemented in order to be replicable in different regions of Ecuador.