This article examines the concept of pre-design as a preliminary phase of a research-by-design methodology. The aim is to reveal the importance of this first stage in the development of an architectural project process and to provide new information on the relationships that occur with the rest of the design phases and, ultimately, with the final design result. The research is carried out experimentally through on-site action in a post-disaster environment. The case study took place in the town of Chamanga, Ecuador, after the seismic event of 2016, which required a reconstruction process. The situation was conducive to applying pre-design methods and reflecting on the results. The research results highlight the importance of establishing the criteria for action and how these must be selected based on successive 'observation-projection' iterations. It also shows how the pre-design is already a determining part of the final design due to the decisions taken during the process. This research contributes to identifying the variables and characteristics of a pre-design phase and provides new insights into understanding the architectural project as a research process.

In the age of globalization, architecture (through an identity crisis) is directly connected with the loss of progressive recognition of morphological studies of city and territory, in a gradual replacement with real-time views of phenomena and urban facts. The satellite gaze finally flattens the interpretation ability of living spaces that were the prerogative of the morphological studies. The actual complexity of cities and territories escapes from the architect's eyes as they increase their technical capability to know details. The season of great renovations and methodological studies that had powered the 1960s, 70s and 80s seems hopelessly distant. Studies on social, economic, and environmental components of the cities and territories (infrastructure, public space, environmental networks) are so proliferated without actually being supported by adequate interpretations of their physical-spatial dynamics. The result: a substantial failure of architectural design to express human habitat visions. It is imperative a theoretical and practical effort to pick up the threads of an interrupted conversation, and return where these studies have expressed their richest potential: the historical centers, the places with most dense and rich heritage. Historical centers of cities like Quito, Siracusa and Suzhou have settled and stratified the morphological structures of several different settlement patterns. As a result, architecture has demonstrated an ability of description and interpretation. Reflecting on how this goal was reached in these cities (by means much less powerful than the current) settlement will be able to bid the morphological component of urban and regional studies and architecture project as a fundamental tool for understanding the human habitat.

This study explores the application of passive strategies focused on reducing urban heat islands, with special attention to improving pedestrian thermal comfort in Amazonian cities. Based on climatic data such as temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed, the impact of urban morphology on public space, particularly on the Tena River waterfront, is analyzed. Using the Grasshopper and Ladybug simulation tools, two scenarios were compared: one current, with 2-3 story buildings, and one proposed, which includes buildings up to 6 stories integrated with native vegetation. The results demonstrate that the proposed scenario not only increases shading but also significantly contributes to the reduction of temperatures, confirming the viability of these strategies to enhance sustainable urban design and improve the quality of life in Amazonian environments. The evaluation of the results highlights aspects to improve in urban development and emphasizes the importance of integrating simulation tools to design urban proposals and open spaces, guaranteeing a comfort zone for the user, encouraging pedestrian routes and therefore increasing social relations in nearby public spaces.

This study explores the spatial and social implications of urban food systems in Quito, Ecuador, focusing on how food access inequalities reflect and reinforce broader urban disparities. The research addresses a critical problem in contemporary urbanization: the disconnection between food provisioning and spatial equity in rapidly growing cities. The objective is to assess and map disparities in food accessibility using a mixed-methods approach that includes field observation, participatory mapping, value chain analysis, and statistical modeling. Five traditional and emerging food markets were studied in diverse districts across the city. A synthetic accessibility function F(x) was constructed to model food access levels, integrating variables such as income, infrastructure, transport availability, and travel time. These variables were subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering to generate three typologies of territorial vulnerability. The results reveal that peripheral areas exhibit lower F(x) values and weaker integration with the formal food system, leading to higher consumer costs and limited fresh food options. In contrast, central districts benefit from multimodal infrastructure and greater diversity of supply. This study concludes that food systems should be treated as critical urban infrastructure. Integrating food equity into land use and mobility planning is essential to promote inclusive, sustainable, and resilient urban development.

Este estudio explora la compleja interacción entre tiempo y espacio en el contexto de la reconstrucción post-desastre e introduce una perspectiva novedosa que trasciende las concepciones estáticas tradicionales asociadas con la arquitectura y la planificación urbana. A través de un análisis multiescala que integra dimensiones temporales (memoria, observación y proyección) con escalas espaciales que van desde edificaciones individuales hasta el tejido urbano más amplio, los resultados muestran que la reconstrucción no es meramente un proceso de reconstrucción física, sino también un acto de resignificar y reinterpretar el tiempo y el espacio. Se introduce el concepto de “tiempo cero” como un momento de estasis que precede a la reconstrucción, mientras que el “movimiento” se analiza como una metáfora del viaje hacia una renovada armonía espacial y social. Este artículo destaca la influencia mutua entre las prácticas de reconstrucción y las percepciones temporales y espaciales de los individuos, y sugiere enfoques de planificación que valoran la temporalidad y la flexibilidad espacial. Contribuyendo al debate sobre la resiliencia urbana, esta investigación ofrece perspectivas para enfoques de reconstrucción post-desastre sostenibles, inclusivos y arraigados en la comunidad.