Rio 2016: Breaking New Ground

2016 seems a long way off, but we all know how time flies. For Rio de Janeiro planning for the 2016 Summer Olympics is well underway and one of the first buildings to be designed is simply wonderful.

The Solar City Tower, built atop the coastal island of Cotonduba will welcome visitors as they arrive by air or water. It features a solar system that will supply energy for the Olympic city and for parts of Rio by pumping water from the ocean to create a waterfall that powers turbines.

Zurich-based RAFAA Architecture & Design designed the tower to become a symbol for the first zero carbon footprint Olympics. At 105 meters this "machine building" will dominate the landscape, or as the designers hope, will be "a symbol for the forces of nature...the representation of a collective awareness of the city towards its great surrounding landscape."

Accessed via an urban plaza the tower features an amphitheater, cafeteria, shops, breathtaking views, and a bungee platform.

Oh, and by the way, it will also hold the Olympic flame.