Livraria da Vila - Isay Weinfeld

Livraria da Vila, a bookstore in Sao Paulo, was designed by architect Isay Weinfeld, as a renovation of an old, long and narrow neighborhood lot, completed in 2007. Improvements to the structure were made to accomodate floor openings, and a basement addition. The books are the main characters in this space, and are displayed on every wall from floor to ceiling, and at the entrance's storefront revolving doors.

Paulo Mendes da Rocha Paulistano Armchair

The very comfortable Paulistano Armchair was designed by Paulo Mendes da Rocha in 1957. It is made by a single bended steel bar, and leather (or cotton) fabric. There are only 350 pieces around the world. The simplicity and lightness of design make it a timeless masterpiece.

by Miguel do Rio Branco

MAM-RJ

MAM-RJ (Modern Art Museum - Rio de Janeiro) was designed by architect Affonso Eduardo Reidy, a native from Rio de Janeiro, and was inaugurated in 1958. The collection includes work by main Brazilian artists as well as international recognized artists. The Museum is part of a recreation complex by the ocean, that was completed in 1965.

In the sixties, the Museum was an important venue for vanguard artists meetings and events. That's where Helio Oiticica exhibited his "Tropicalia" work, starting then the "Tropicalista" Movement in the Brazilian arts.

The landscape was designed by Roberto Burle Marx, a renowned Brazilian landscape designer.

The building consists of several concrete columns that wrap and suspend a rectangular concrete/glass two-level box, leaving the street level opened for pedestrians. That makes the site very fluid and accessible. To get into the museum, one needs to go under the suspended structure.

View from inside the Museum.

Rodin Museum

The Rodin Museum in the city of Salvador, Bahia State, was designed by Francisco Fanucci and Marcelo Carvalho Ferraz, and inaugurated on 2006. Rodin masterpieces will be displayed at the main historic renovated building - the Palace Comendador Catharino - and in the gardens. A contemporary addition was built to display temporary exhibits, and it connects to the main building through a bridge overlooking the garden. The integration of the two buildings - that are one century apart in age - and with its gardens express the Brazilian attitude of integration and tolerance. The Museum also serves as a place for gathering, and the exchange of arts and culture.

Photos by Nelson Kon.

Club Nox

This is a nightclub called "Club Nox", located in the city of Recife, Pernambuco State. Designed by Metro Arquitetura + Juliano Dubeux.

Cidade Nova Building

Rio de Janeiro has its first LEED certified project! It's the first Core & Shell certified building in Brazil and Latin America, and the second one outside the United States. The 52,000 m2 building was developed by Bracor, and it's home to Petrobras, the Brazilian Oil Company.