Designed by Architectus S/S, Architects faced several challenges when designing a new maritime passenger terminal for Fortaleza: complying with the diverse rules of the sector; operating under a reduced timeline; attending to the needs of the building’s various users; designing a building with flexible use and a striking form; and working in an area of the city with great touristic and scenic potential.
Photography: Joana França
With the aim of providing infrastructure for the 2014 World Cup games that would be held in the city, the Fortaleza Maritime Passenger Terminal was designed from the beginning as a multipurpose space, taking into account both the needs of maritime tourism as well as creating spaces for events, exhibitions, parties, and shows. The design also took into account the seasonality of its use as a cruise destination, with demand in the South Atlantic peaking from October to May. Photography: Joana França
The terminal?s dynamic volumes, in addition to addressing the client?s request for the formal expression of Fortaleza?s role as the first port for cruise ships coming from the northern hemisphere, are also the result of the relationship between object and observer, devised by the architects. The Mucuripe Cove, the main touristic zone of the city, has Mansa beach as its focal point, a sector that was underutilized due to being the customs area of the port, but that is now incorporated into the urban context. The city now has a view of the la...