An art deco masterpiece, Belmond Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro is the crown jewel of the world’s most iconic beach. Originally opened in 1923, the hotel quickly became synonymous with glamour and sophistication; the place to mix with Brazil’s elite over caipirinhas. The design vision for Pérgula, which is open through breakfast to dinner, was to re-create a restaurant and poolside experience that was true to this heritage and would return the mystique of its heyday within a contemporary aesthetic.
Pérgula sits perfectly placed between the vivid life of Copacabana Beach and the quiet intimacy of the pool garden, and the new design helps guests connect with both faces. By introducing floor-to-ceiling windows to the poolside and removing a half-height wall on the boardwalk side, it has become a permeable space with views opened-up from front to back. The space flows from inside to outdoors and back again, spilling from the interior onto the re-landscaped poolside verandah in one direction and drawing the new plantings and their scents into the interior, whilst also visually connecting to the oceanside. The poolside experience has been re-thought with a new bar carefully placed under an existing apricot tree. A combination of new lounge and poolside seating creates a casual yet sophisticated setting waterside set against the backdrop of new landscaping.
Inside, the interiors are eclectic with Deco-inspired flourishes, such as reeded glass pilasters and plumage tiles to the bar-front. A wood-fired open grill has been introduced to provide a theatre kitchen offering a much livelier, more modern focus to the experience than before. An antiqued mirror ceiling amplifies the natural light and catches reflections of the landscape, further connecting the interior to the outdoors. Furnishings are textured and tactile with iconic chairs and custom-designed tables and lighting. Brazil is world-recognised for its tradition of outstanding furniture design and making, a heritage which is honored in Pérgula, where the interiors combine mid-20th Century modern pieces with contemporary furniture. They include Sergio Rodrigues’ “Oscar” chairs in the dining room together with pieces from rising Brazilian design stars, including Ivan Rezinde who created the contemporary centrepiece console. All the lights have been crafted locally.
Brazil is also a rich source for beautiful stones and all the stones used in Pérgula on the walls and floors as well as the table tops, are local. The mosaic on the floor is made from two Brazilian stones. The border pattern was inspired by the photo archives of the hotel. Long before the famous Copacabana Beach promenade, with its signature wave design, Copacabana Palace had oceanfront terraces laid with this key pattern.
The colours of the interior envelope were inspired by the facades of the original Joseph Gire designed building and the iconic Burle Marx designed Copacabana Beach promenade – tones of white with charcoal grey and anthracite. Layered over this are accents of yellow, such as the leather-covered banquette seating, and teal, seen in the bar tiles and table tops. Both indoors and out, a reimagined landscape introduces many shades of green. These are the colours of Rio de Janeiro.
The artwork at the back of the restaurant is very special. It is by Dominique Jardy who has created other pieces for the hotel. It is a fantasy conveying the flora & fauna that might have existed in Copacabana before the area was developed – a window on an exotic tropical scene, that adds layers of colour and serves to balance the grill at the opposite end of the room.
Pérgula is now a space where guests feel they belong, in their pool attire by day and in elegant evening wear by night. The ambience is fresh in the morning, and cosy and romantic in the evenings. During the day, it is full of natural light; by night, pools of light create intimate seating groups, whilst the ceiling and pilasters sparkle under the custom-designed pendants and wall sconces. The pool is equally enchanting once the sun has set when lights glow from within the foliage of the apricot tree and the bar beneath becomes the place for late evening socialising. A hotel all-day dining room has become a destination restaurant with advance reservations of several weeks ahead.
“We believed that the design should draw on the architectural style and spirit of the hotel, layered with the vibrant character and lush environment of the Cariocas. Creating a seamless link between the interior of the restaurant, the exterior verandah and poolside was key to achieving this. It is now a space that feels both casual and sophisticated and a little bit seductive,” says Nathan Hutchins.
About Nathan Hutchins and Muza Lab
Nathan Hutchins is co-founder of London-based Muza Lab, along with Inge Moore. The practice specialises in one-of-a-kind hospitality projects around the world. Together, the pair has cultivated a portfolio which includes luxury hotels, homes, spas, restaurants and members’ clubs as well as trains, yachts and riverboats, each time creating something original and true to the client. Their style is tailored, crafted and full of soul.
For Belmond, they have recently refurbished Mount Nelson Hotel, two barges in France and Eagle Island Lodge in Botswana as well as designing the new Andean Explorer train. Last year, the practice completed Kanuhura Maldives for Sun Resorts and is now working on projects in London, continental Europe and Asia for private clients and international brands.
