ARTY NEW DIGS // CAPITAL OF ARCHITECTURE // NEW FLIGHTSThere’s never been any doubt that Rio is South America’s
most stylish city, but its billing as the world’s irst Capital of
Architecture ups that accolade to international status
From lashy surf-front high-rises to sprawling favelas,
Rio’s architectural landscape is a representation of
its stark socio-economic contrasts. A recognition of
this drama of imbalance, UNESCO’s new designation
aims to demonstrate the crucial role of architecture
in sustainable urban development; CAPITAL OF
ARCHITECTURE will be a triannual forum of innovation,
discussion and inspiration for sparking urban planning
solutions. And with such landmarks as Santiago
Calatrava’s recently completed MUSEUM OF TOMORROW
and Christian de Portzamparc’s curvaceous concrete
CIDADE DAS ARTES cultural complex, there’s plenty to be
inspired by already.
This includes a cooler-than-cool new hotel designed by
one of Brazil’s most celebrated fashion designers, Oskar
Mestavaht. In the ever-chic Leblon neighbourhood,
JANEIRO comes with a loating rootop pool whose blues
seem to bleed seamlessly into the Atlantic below.
If that doesn’t it your aesthetic, try JO&JOE OPEN
HOUSE. Set to open later this year, these six houses in Rio’s
Cosme Velho neighbourhood reputedly set Accor back
20m Brazilian reais (£3.6m). The debut for the hotel brand
outside Europe, Accor is slated to invest an additional 30m
Brazilian reais (£5.5m) in renovating and furnishing the
heritage-listed property to transform it into a colourful
70-room hip hangout. And with Virgin Atlantic ofering
NEW DIRECT FLIGHTS TO NEARBY SÃO PAOLO, Brazil looks
like a wish-list destination far easier fulilled. SB
visitbrasil.com20 RIO DE JANEIRO
IMAGE: GETTYJoatinga Beach, Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil88 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
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