On his firm’s sustainable mission
At the studio, we have a deep love and fascination with nature. We want to make sure we do everything to protect and celebrate it. For example, in our Hotel Emiliano project, [in Rio de Janeiro, which Studio Arthur Casas took over after planning], we created a design that absorbed the surrounding beauty. The rainforest finds its place indoors through lush tropical plants and living walls in the lobby and restaurant [while] the sea is extended through the rooftop pool.
On impactful office culture
We are across three offices: Miami, New York, and Basel, Switzerland. The people working here are very passionate about making the world a better place through architecture. We are all aiming to craft experiences and moments as well as atmospheres rather than just buildings.
Reflecting on his first book Spirit of Place
Every design decision needs to be specific and capture the spirit of where a building sits. When we build in Miami, we want to celebrate the best that the city has to offer and show something you can’t find in another city like New York or Rio de Janeiro. Everything we do is about understanding the uniqueness of specific places and letting their special qualities shine through the work, [including] materials, textures, and atmospheric sensibilities.
Revealing his latest eco-conscious, mixed-use project in Costa Rica
San Silencio [pictured] sets forth a new benchmark for design, quality, and sustainability. The resulting experience is reduced to what is essential—establishing opulence through bold forms, sincere materiality, and the florid use of Costa Rica’s natural resources, both physical and ethereal.
