Cidade das Artes

The Story

This cultural complex in Barra da Tijuca, designed by French architect Christian de Portzamparc, is Rio de Janeiro's largest cultural center, with 97,000 square meters built on pillars ten meters above the ground, like a large floating concrete balcony. The project began in 2002, still named Cidade da Música, with an expected completion date in 2004. Construction dragged on for over a decade, amidst stoppages and management changes, until an unfinished inauguration in December 2008. It was only in January 2013 that the complex was formally opened, with the presentation of the Rock in Rio musical, already under its new name Cidade das Artes. It houses the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra and one of the largest concert halls in Brazil, in addition to spaces dedicated to theater, cinema, and visual arts.

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