Parque Orla Piratininga Eco-museum is a part of a joint revitalisation project by KAAN Architecten, Phytorestore, and Embya aiming at a sustainable, long-term improvement of the Niterói’s Piratininga Lagoon. The wide-ranging approach is rigorous yet strategic; it addresses the lagoon and the facing neighbourhood with innovative and careful interventions. The extensive water filtering gardens are part of an overarching network of paths for pedestrians and bikes, lookouts, squares, sports courts, fishing piers, seating, and play areas, all interwoven with local vegetation.

© Sebastian van Damme

© Sebastian van Damme

© Sebastian van Damme

© Sebastian van Damme

The Eco-Museum is a focal point of the redeveloped area and a tool for social inclusion that extends beyond the scope of the initial brief. The building is dedicated to the recovery and preservation of the lagoon and a place where this process can be constantly monitored by and actively taught to residents. Additionally, it provides a space for the fishermen’s community and various resident associations to gather and collaborate with municipal services. The building is conceived as a large, covered plaza with functional volumes placed in a way that enables seamless integration of the waterfront and the museum. In harmony with its lush environment, the locally sourced cumaru wood panelling of the Eco-museum completes the mixed structure of concrete columns and CLT slabs, contributing to its neutral carbon footprint.

© Sebastian van Damme

© Sebastian van Damme

© Sebastian van Damme

© Sebastian van Damme

© Sebastian van Damme

© KAAN Architecten

© KAAN Architecten

© KAAN Architecten

© KAAN Architecten

© KAAN Architecten

© KAAN Architecten