Under a fabric dome, a 12 square metre terrace becomes a ceramics studio

On a 12 square metre terrace, 1028arq has built a compact ceramics workshop that treats shade as structure and daily practice as ritual. Designed for the sister of cofounder Alejandro Ramos, the project centers on a simple wooden pergola and a set of fabric sunshades that gather overhead to form a dome like canopy, turning a small outdoor footprint into a focused place for making.

The wooden pergola rests on existing walls and supports metal frames that read as a clean gable roof line. Within that framework, the fabric sunshades create the studio’s defining volume, a soft dome that evokes classical cues echoed again in the back wall and the façade. The geometry is modest, but the effect is architectural: a ceiling that is light, breathable, and constantly animated by sun and air.

Beneath the fabric dome sits the potter’s wheel, positioned as the heart of the studio. The canopy compresses and elevates the experience at once, making the workspace feel intimate, deliberate, almost ceremonial. Light filters through the textile, softening contrast and reducing glare, while still keeping the studio open to the terrace and the day outside.

Material choices keep the atmosphere clear and functional. Shelving and built in elements combine yellow metal with pine wood, bringing warmth and utility in equal measure. The façade’s gentle arch echoes the curve of the sunshades, linking exterior and interior in one continuous gesture. It is a small workshop, but it reads as a complete environment, where storage, surface, and shade are designed as a single system.

Inside, the plan balances openness with enclosure, offering a quiet retreat for concentrated work. The studio is tuned to the rhythms of ceramics: time, repetition, and attention. Ramos frames the intent simply, describing ceramics as a meeting point of design, craftsmanship, and mindfulness, and hoping the space gives his sister the calm and inspiration needed to work.

Project Credit

Name: Ceramics workshop
Location: Ecuador, Quito
Design: 1028arq / @1028arq
Completed: 2024
Photo: Carlos Palacios