Richard Meier & Partners Unveils Plans for an Eco Office in Rio de Janeiro

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/richard-meier-and-partners/">Richard Meier &amp; Partners</a> is working on their first project in South America, which will be an eco office building in the Leblon neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. The building will serve as the iconic new international headquarters for <a href="http://www.vincipartners.com/site/index.php" target="_blank">VINCI Partners</a> in Brazil and it features open office spaces and balances privacy with a connection to the surrounding urban fabric. <a href="http://www.richardmeier.com/www/#/projects/architecture/visual/1/677/0/" target="_blank">Leblon Offices</a> will feature living vertical gardens, a louvered facade, daylighting and energy-efficient design. The project team is aiming for LEED Silver certification.

The Leblon Offices will be a 10 story office building with a leasable floor area of 6,500 sq meters.

A generous lobby will connect the building to the street, a recessed open retail plaza and then to the underground parking.

The building's design reflects the distinct orientation of the site while addressing issues of sustainability, maximum efficiency and flexibility.

Recessed from the street slightly, the west facade features a carefully composed set of louvers that work to provide sun shading and privacy while maximizing natural daylight.

Meanwhile on the east side, the building is pulled back from its neighbors to create an internal courtyard, which provides daylighting from two sides and space for a vertical garden.

Inside, the open floor plan office provides flexibility over the long run and everyone enjoys ample daylighting in which to work.

The office building is expected to receive LEED-silver certification.

Cross section of the Leblon Offices.

Site plan of the Leblon Offices.

Typical floor plan in the Leblon Offices.