- Title: BRAZIL-OLYMPICS/VILLAGE Model apartments open at the Rio 2016 Athlete's Village
- Date: 5th March 2015
- Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS AERIALS OF THE ATHLETES' VILLAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (MARCH 05, 2015) (REUTERS) BUILDINGS OF THE ATHLETES' VILLAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION WORKERS LAYING BRICK CONSTRUCTION WORKER POURING CEMENT GENERAL OF COMPLEX AND CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AT WORK MORE OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WORKING VARIOUS OF CRANE ELEVATOR ON THE SIDE OF ONE OF THE BUILDINGS WORKER SHOVELLING DIRECTOR OF THE PROJECT, MAURICIO CRUZ LOPES, TALKING TO A WORKER CLOSE-UP OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE PROJECT, MAURICIO CRUZ LOPES MORE OF LOPES TALKING TO A WORKER (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) DIRECTOR OF THE PROJECT, MAURICIO CRUZ LOPES, SAYING: "So we did one of each of the types of apartments so the 2016 Olympic Committee, Olympic Committees and even the athletes who are coming here to visit, so they can see all the apartment options we have here. These apartments are already ready with all the specifications, materials, colours, finishings exactly how they will be delivered in 2016." GENERAL OF ATHLETES' VILLAGE COMPLEX CONSTRUCTION WORKERS MORE OF BUILDINGS UNDER CONSTRUCTION (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) DIRECTOR OF THE PROJECT, MAURICIO CRUZ LOPES, SAYING: "We'll have people from about 200 different countries here from different cultures who have different experiences and who will go back to their countries with an idea about Brazil. And we understood that it was important to show that people, business and Brazilian government here are concerned about being a reference for sustainability." GENERAL OF MORE COMPLETE BUILDINGS WORKER ON A ROOFTOP MORE OF BUILDINGS UNDER CONSTRUCTION MORE OF BUILDINGS VARIOUS OF INTERIOR OF ONE OF THE MODEL APARTMENTS BRAZILIAN WRESTLERS AND BROTHERS ANTOINE JAOUDE AND ADRIAN JAOUDE ENTERING ONE OF THE MODEL APARTMENTS THE JAOUDE BROTHERS STEPPING OUT ON THE BALCONY OF ONE OF THE MODEL APARTMENTS (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZILIAN WRESTLER ANTOINE JAOUDE, SAYING: "It's the first time I've come here and I think it is looking really nice, really pretty, modern and a cool concept. And I think it will be different for the athletes who are used to staying in smaller apartments. I think it is going to be great." CLOSE-UP OF BRAZILIAN WRESTLER ADRIAN JAOUDE ADRIAN JAOUDE, LOOKING AT THE SHOWER (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZILIAN WRESTLER ADRIAN JAOUDE, SAYING: "Definitely. I think this is going to be a modern village. I think it is an innovative concept that is very sustainable and something really as modern as can be. I think it will meet all expectations and I think it will be an A+ Olympics." VIEW OF POOL AREA FROM THE BALCONY OF ONE OF THE APARTMENTS PALM TREE IN THE POOL AREA RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS MORE AERIALS OF THE ATHLETES' VILLAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
- Embargoed: 20th March 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Brazil
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVACBF0HLX5B0IVFFC9WVH5TUQY9
- Story Text: In just under a year and half, thousands of Olympic athletes from around the world will move into the Olympic and Paralympic Village currently under construction in Rio de Janeiro.
In anticipation of this, the companies charged with constructing the village have opened 11 model apartments that curious athletes and officials can have a look at to see where they'll be staying during the 2016 Olympics.
The Olympic and Paralympic Village is being built on 206,000 square-meters of land and will consist of seven compounds with a total of 31 high-rise buildings and will be able to house 17,950 athletes, coaches, and trainers.
There are 11 different floor plans available and they will all be either 2, 3 or 4 bedroom flats for a total of 3,604 apartments with 10,160 bedrooms, 10,150 bathrooms and more than 18,000 beds.
The director of the project, known as Ilha Pura, Mauricio Cruz Lopes, said the 11 model apartments are exact examples of what will be available to the athletes when they arrive to compete in the Rio.
"So we did one of each of the types of apartments so the 2016 Olympic Committee, Olympic Committees and even the very athletes who are coming here to visit, so they can see all the apartment options we have here. These apartments are already ready with all the specifications, materials, colours, finishings, exactly how they will be delivered in 2016," Lopes told Reuters.
Lopes said Caravalho Hosken and Odebrecht Realizacoes Imobiliarias, the companies building the village, wanted to put a strong emphasis on sustainability.
The complex has been recognized by the LEED Green Building Council and aims to reduce CO2 output during construction as well as conserve water and green spaces.
"We'll have people from about 200 different countries here from different cultures who have different experiences and who will go back to their countries with an idea about Brazil. And we understood that it was important to show that people, businesses and the Brazilian government here are concerned about being a reference for sustainability," Lopes said.
The Athletes' Village will be converted to a neighbourhood complex after the athletes have moved out.
The full neighbourhood will be built on a sprawling 800,000 square meters in the Barra de Tijuca region in western Rio de Janeiro.
And anyone who wants to live here after the Olympic Games can also scout out the apartments, many of which are already up for sale.
But two of the first people to get a sneak peak at the model apartments were Brazilian wrestlers and brothers, Antoine and Adrian Jaoude.
The Jaoude brothers are both trying to qualify for the 2016 Olympics and hope they will be staying in one of these apartments come August 2016.
"It's the first time I've come here and I think it is looking really nice, really pretty, modern and a cool concept. And I think it will be different for the athletes who are used to staying in smaller apartments. I think it is going to be great," said Antoine Jaoude who wrestled in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
"Definitely. I think this is going to be a modern village. I think it is an innovative concept that is very sustainable and something really as modern as can be. I think it will meet all expectations and I think it will be an A+ Olympics," Adrian Jaoude who hopes to qualify for his first Olympic Games in Rio said.
The complex will also have pool areas, a cafeteria, a temporary medical centre, lounge areas and other amenities for the athletes to use.
A portion of the apartments will also be fitted to accommodate wheelchairs and other specifications for athletes for the Paralympic Games who will be staying here immediately after the Olympic athletes move out.
The opening ceremony for the Rio Olympics will be on August 5, 2016 with the closing ceremony on August 21.
The 2016 Paralympics will open on September 7, and close on September 18, 2016. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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