Prior to the Olympic games in Rio, the city sponsored an international ideas competition to highlight the Rio games. This competition dedicated a single island, Inu Cotunduba, slightly off Copacabana Beach, which would be the focus for ideas. The stated goal was to design a celebratory tower/landmark on the island.

Our view was quite different. Rather than compete with the dominant Christ The Redeemer Statue, we saw opportunity for a longer-term usage of this island gem. Our proposal stated that the island should be left natural and new activity should be floated offshore with direct contact to the island itself. To that end we designed a “floating” hotel residential building with a protected inner harbor and a host of amenities. The island remained a much-loved local sanctuary, the hotel design features a C shaped building with extensive upper deck activities and pools. To further accent the artificiality of the condition, three carved out vertical gardens formed a complex and gestural identity offsetting its natural background.

Client

International Competition / Olympic Committee

Type

Masterplan / Architecture / Interiors

Size

120 Rooms / 40 residential condominiums

Status

Complete