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The 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro officially started with a bang Friday evening, when the opening ceremonies illuminated Maracanã Stadium with arts, culture, and a spectacular fireworks display. When the smoke dissipated, the hundreds of delegations and thousands of athletes in attendance were welcomed to the Olympic Village, their home for the next two weeks. Located in the oceanfront neighbourhood of Barra da Tijuca, one of the fastest growing regions in Rio, the new residential community contains accommodations for both Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
The Olympic Village was officially delivered to the Rio 2016 Committee on June 15th. Containing 31 buildings, the neighbourhood has the capacity to house 17,950 athletes and technical staff in 3,604 flats. Every apartment is equipped with three to four bedrooms, a balcony, and laundry services. Each building hosts adapted units, with wider doors, taller showers, and larger corridors and elevators to comfortably accommodate people with disabilities or limited mobility. Bisecting the village is a pedestrian avenue called Rua Carioca, which is lined with shops and restaurants. When they aren't training for a gold medal, athletes can play video games, musical instruments, table tennis, and indulge in other on-site recreational facilities.
A result of the public-private partnership that made most of the Olympic venues possible, about 18,000 people worked on the construction of the village. They installed the necessary infrastructure, which included 430,000 cubic metres of concrete, 43 tons of steel, 360 kilometres of piping, 7.5 kilometres of wiring, and 3.8 kilometres of bicycle lanes. The strategic location of the village puts it within close proximity of the majority of the competition and training areas. For 43 percent of the athletes, the trip to their venues will only take about ten minutes. The remaining 57 percent will be approximately 25 minutes away.
The LEED certified community hosts ten thousand square metres of green roofs, which reduce the heat island effect, and 75 solar panels, which provide warm water for residents. Sink and shower water will be reused in toilets and irrigation throughout the property, leading to 40 percent savings in consumption. These sustainability features emulate the environmental message of these Games, a message which was communicated through performance during the opening ceremonies. Post-Games, the village is expected to become an upscale neighbourhood named "Ilha Pura", which translates to "Pure Island" in Portuguese. Apartments will likely fetch about $700,000 USD when they are put on the market.
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