What I wrote down (and questioned) in the TCC for a sustainable hotel

I never imagined that attending an Architecture TCC (the first in my life) would have such an impact on me. It wasn't my project, nor my committee. But it was as if a new window had opened inside me.

The graduate was Rafael. An engineer by training, now finishing his degree in Architecture. His project? A four-star sustainable hotel, proposed for an underused plot of land in Cidade Baixa (Salvador - BA, Brazil), where an old textile factory used to be. An abandoned, forgotten place, but full of history.

The presentation was in the form of a pitch and lasted only 20 minutes. But honestly? It made me want to hear more. It wasn't just because of the topic itself, but because of the paths he chose to take.

He presented sustainable strategies that we already know, such as reusing rainwater, using ecological materials and solar panels. But what really caught my attention was what came next: sustainable management.

I had never stopped to think about sustainability within a hotel from this angle. Rafael talked about training the internal team, about the ecological culture applied to daily operations, and this made me see the project as something much more alive, more vibrant, more systemic.

Another reference he mentioned that took me by surprise was the Vivood Hotel, in Valle de Guadalest, Spain. A modular hotel, with prefabricated structures, designed so that, if the project fails or needs to move, it can be dismantled without leaving aggressive traces on the land.

That had never crossed my mind. And in Rafael's project, this logic was incorporated with balance and intention.

Of course, there was also technical learning. I took note of valuable things, such as the importance of knowing the laws governing land use, the power of well-designed flow diagrams, and how essential it's to present the materialization of sustainability and economic viability in a clear and visual way. Tips that I will keep for my own final project.

But not everything sounded like absolute truth to me, and that, in fact, was one of the most valuable parts of the experience.

One of the advisors praised the coherence between the facade and the interior of the hotel, saying that this harmony was an important achievement. But does it always have to be like this? I left the room with this question.

I thought about so many projects that I admire, especially in the world of Airbnb, where the facade is minimal, even discreet, but the interior surprises like a true oasis.

And the contrast between what is expected and what is found is part of the experience. I like the idea of ​​provoking surprise, generating enchantment. I believe that this can also be a strong concept, especially in lodging projects.

An example of this are the Mexican houses featured by @transmuro_ on Instagram, which I really admire. With straight lines, open interior spaces, and a beautiful mix of clean, modern, boho and vintage... they carry this atmosphere of surprise and welcome that I love.

From all of this, I left the presentation with one certainty: watching a TCC is more than just following the conclusion of a course. It is observing, reflecting and transforming yourself together.

That morning, I went in as a spectator. But I left as someone who, without realizing it, had already started building their own project, even if it was just inside their head.