Joao Pessoa is a tropical, coastal city with a regular, flat urban fabric that develops along an extensive tourist beach. The Ba’ra hotel, with 126 rooms of variable areas -22, 32, 52, and 72m2- is located in a block facing the beach and accessed from Avenida Cabo Branco. This street is a vehicular axis parallel to the beach, a cycle path, and a recreational space for walkers, athletes, and popular festivals.
©Alejandro Arango
BA’RA Hotel’s Concept Design
Faced with these climatic and urban qualities, and a municipal regulation that only allows a height of five levels for constructions near the beach, we proposed a Ba’ra hotel with a ‘U’-shaped plan, thus generating a semi-public central space available for hotel events related to the urban life of the city and the beach. In this way, visitors can access the hotel on foot, crossing a space covered by metal pergolas and hanging gardens and then going down to the lobby and restaurant areas in a naturally lit basement. in Ba’ra hotel We arranged all the rooms symmetrically along the ‘U’ shape, generating some that look outwards and others that look towards the central void.
©Alejandro Arango
Additionally, we allow each room to have an ocean view using staggered diagonal cantilevers. On the last level, we designed a central bridge over the metal pergolas, which leads to two terraces with a restaurant and the pool, spaces from which users observe both the central void and the intense activity of the city and the sea. Finally, each room has practicable windows to allow cross ventilation and metal shutters to control the sun and maintain privacy.
©Alejandro Arango
Project Info:
Architects: Plan:b arquitectos
Area: 6197 m²
Year: 2022
Photographs: Alejandro Arango
Lead Architects: Felipe Mesa, Federico Mesa
Design Team: Cristian Camacho, Laura Kate Correa, Sebastián González Daniela Álvarez, Natasha Álvarez
Client: H station/Massai Constructora
Construction: Massai Constructora
Interior Design: Sandra Moura arquitectos
City: João Pessoa
Country: Brazil
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.