The building integrates with the landscape, forming a peninsula – an extension of the land to the sea. With an innovative design, the shape of a large two-story ring served by panoramic ramps, functionally opposes the traditional concept of verticalization.
The simplicity of its lines mitigates the grandeur of the form. It has 120 rooms all overlooking the sea, in addition to internal gardens, two swimming pools, restaurant and bar, cinema-theater, convention center, shops, exhibition gallery and nightclub.
The building’s proximity to the sea allows the water to meet the entablature on which the hotel is located, and the flow of water through this structure produces a sound effect that Sergio Bernardes called “mouthwash”. On the other side, a grassy slope hides the building behind a large dune, so that those arriving at the hotel do not notice the shape of the building.
The coverage is flat to avoid any interference with the external view of the landscape.
Local: João Pessoa, PB
Project date: 1962
Photos: Kykah Bernardes, Miguel Rio Branco, Paulo de Barros - Acervo Sergio Bernardes
