Developer Uribe Schwarzkopf has unveiled the design for the residential YOO GYE skyscraper in Guayaquil, Ecuador, which will be designed in collaboration with YOO Inspired by Starck.

Set to be built in Guayaquil, the 176-metre-high skyscraper will be located alongside the Rio Guayas river, which runs through Ecuador's largest city.

French designer Philippe Starck, who leads YOO Inspired by Starck, described the building as a "paradise designed for the happiness of the people who will live in it".

"YOO projects, and YOO GYE in particular, are about 'you'," said YOO Inspired by Starck creative director Philippe Starck.

"I wanted to create a place that draws people together, that makes them laugh, makes them more in love, more sparkling, more intelligent," he continued.

"I wanted to create fertile surprises to awake people, to create conversations, to create interactions and to trigger creativity. A place where us, humans, are at its heart. YOO GYE will be this place, this island, this sort of paradise designed for the happiness of the people who will live in it."

The 46-storey residential tower will contain a total of 633 apartments arranged in blocks that are set back as the skyscraper rises.

Each of the setbacks, which will be fronted with a series of arches, creates an outdoor space that according to the developer will contain communal spaces and "native vegetation".

Alongside the apartments, the skyscraper will contain numerous facilities including a spa, outdoor pools, cinema and "party room" as well as retail spaces on the lower floors.

Although renders of the building show it located in a rural location, it is set to be built in the downtown Puerto Santa Ana neighbourhood alongside several other high-rise buildings.

The facade makes use of multiple arches, described as "a common motif found in the area" and will be clad in a combination of glass and stone.

"With a conscious emphasis on using local materials, such as limestone, YOO GYE combines earthy textures of soft woods and stones with solid, high-sheen glass and metal finishes to create a contemporary minimal scheme for functional living," said the developer.

Set to be complete in 2027, the skyscraper is the latest development by Ecuadorian developer Uribe Schwarzkopf, which has previously commissioned MAD's first South American building and Quito's tallest building, which was designed by Danish studio BIG.

"We're excited once again to be working with YOO Inspired by Starck and announce plans for our third project with them; YOO GYE, our latest contribution to the growing transformation of Guayaquil," said Uribe Schwarzkopf general manager Joseph Schwarzkopf.

"The mixed-use scheme reflects the local architecture and natural surroundings. We are looking forward to seeing the building come to life and to continue to be a part of the fabric of Guayaquil."