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Uruguayan residence takes advantage of natural beauty of Viñoly's native land
Renowned architect Rafael Viñoly announced today the completion of his first project built in his home country of Uruguay. Edificio Acqua is a six-storey luxury residential building in the beachfront resort of Punta del Este which takes advantage of the stunning landscape that Viñoly grew up in.
Now living and working in the United States, Viñoly has been practicing architecture for 45 years in the United States, Latin America, Asia and Europe, but gained his degree and first work in Buenos Aires, Argentina rather than Uruguay. The completion of Edificio Acqua is a poignant return to his roots:
“Edificio Acqua has special meaning to me - it’s the first project I have
completed in my native country of Uruguay,” he said. “Punta del Este is a place of enormous natural beauty and I wanted my design to celebrate the extraordinary views that make this place so distinctive. The view from Acqua is different from everywhere else. It’s like being in a place that categorizes everything else in a very different way.”
The project equates to an unprecedented standard of accommodation for Uruguay. 34 units are placed within the L-shaped building on a prime location facing the South Atlantic Ocean. The stepped terraced elevation on the ocean side not only offers stunning views but visually and physically leads residents towards the water. Six penthouse apartments feature infinity pools of 50 ft by 70 ft, abundant glazing on three sides and building setbacks that obscure views of the other units, creating the feel of isolated residences. Combined with the quality exterior finishes in Jura stone, aquatic fossils, an anodized aluminum curtainwall and wood slats on the 11’ deep balconies, the project has already received several awards for its architectural quality.
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