Rio 2016

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      The beautiful city of Rio served as the site of 2016 Olympic Summer Games. A city of contradictions, Rio is at once a celebration of the past and the future. Like the roots of a tree weaving through the crevices of a rocky hillside, the urban fabric of Rio implants itself in the mountainous terrain of the coastal region. These contradictions serve as the inspiration for this plan, exploring the unique relationship between the city and its natural environment.

      Holabird & Root’s master plan concept blurs the boundaries between urban infrastructure and natural landscape. Rio’s future, literally and figuratively, rises from the ground up, layering the landscape toward a sustainable system. The layers form and contain infrastructure while resurrecting aspects of the site’s natural landscape.  We envisioned a future that is true to the spirit of Rio.