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“Sula is a prefabricated house that was molded and structured in Quito for two months and assembled on Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos,” say the designers at Huaira. “It is composed of about 2,000 different custom-made wood, metal, aluminum, and glass pieces, which need over 17,000 screws and pins to put together the whole building. The assembly was carried out by four plant technicians and six employees, who traveled from the continent for multiple specialized activities for a total period of four weeks.”

Although many kitchen redesigns aim for more openness, in John and Debby’s case, it made more sense to section off their sprawling kitchen into a smaller cooking area, a sizable butler’s pantry, and a snug TV room. The sculptural island and backsplash are made from Cararra marble.

Floor Plan of Butterfly House by Oliver Leech Architects

The custom dining table—which was made by a local artisan—is located in front of west-facing windows that frame the sunset in the evenings. The table can be easily moved inside or out depending on the weather.

The rough-hewn stone stairs that lead to the cottage were made by a local stone worker.