Tom Delfim Moreira

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Tom Delfim Moreira

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Firm

Zien

Type

Residential › Multi Unit Housing

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2024

SIZE

25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft

BUDGET

Undisclosed

The Leblon neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro represents a balanced combination of elegance and simplicity, casualness and sophistication, urbanity and natural exuberance, beach life and nightlife, a perfect harmony of contrasts. In this project, we sought to create an architecture that reflects the spirit of modernist tradition while also embracing the irreverence and contemporary character that have marked the renewal of architecture in Rio de Janeiro in recent years.

We designed a building that fits harmoniously into this context, visible on the city’s waterfront skyline without competing with the surrounding buildings from previous decades. We aimed to frame the landscape, a well-known postcard image. The infinite ocean line, the lush nature, the Dois Irmãos mountain, Burle Marx’s sidewalk design, and a world-famous sunset inspired this project.

Tom was built on the last available plot directly by the seaside of the Leblon neighborhood, and we took it to our hearts to deliver something worthy of this spectacular location. Despite being in a complex position, enclosed on three sides by neighbouring buildings and subject to strict height limitations due to current legislation that protects the shoreline from new shadows, the ocean view is breathtaking. We wanted to fully explore this last feature.

We maximised the horizon line from within the building, making it feel as though the view flows into the apartment itself. The terraces, extending beyond the neighbouring building setbacks, combine the modernist patterns of the promenade with the curves and sensuality of Rio’s lush natural surroundings. Burle Marx’s sidewalk design is extended into the building, honouring the iconic geometric patterns and creating a continuity between the sidewalk and the sinuous façade.

Our goal was to create an architectural language that is timeless, blending simplicity with technology. Every material was carefully selected for user comfort and to withstand the harsh effects of the sea breeze over time. The façade is made of a composite product named Corian®, usually used for kitchen worktops but here used for the first time in Brazil in a residential building. Characteristics such as high resistance, non-porosity, uniformity, and thermoformability (which allows for precise, seamless joints) made it an ideal material for shaping the sinuous, curvilinear terraces. The interior finish of the terraces is made of Accoya wood, which is treated with an acetylation process, becoming both durable and stable over the years. This soft materiality contrasts with the prefabricated elements and adds warmth and tactile comfort. The view is uninterrupted thanks to the façade’s materiality and the nearly invisible transparent window frames. Flexible floor plans, with structures and installations adaptable to different users allow each resident to express their individuality and transform the apartment into a true home.

Architecture is multidisciplinary, and this project gave us a broad opportunity to incorporate Brazilian contemporary art into our work. Artists such as Iole de Freitas, Ernesto Neto, Sebastião Salgado, Vik Muniz, Campana Studio, Sonia Gomes, and Claudia Andujar complemented the design, displaying their works in both the lobby and the public walkway.