Rio de Janeiro will be the site of a new branch of the Guggenheim Museum. The Guggenheim Rio will be the Guggenheim foundation’s first branch in South America, adding to the network of museums which include New York Guggenheim in Manhattan, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, the Guggenheim Bilbao by Frank Gehry, and the Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin.

The proposed museum is largely below sea level, with glass structures admitting natural light into under-water exhibition pavilions. A 115 ft. cylindrical tower will rise above the waves, topped by an observatory gallery and restaurant offering views of the bay. Jean Nouvel was chosen to design the Guggenheim Rio project due to his talent and renowned ability to adapt his works to the local history and surrounding context. The construction period is expected to span from three to five years.

The Museum will have an open-air restaurant located amidst a tropical forest with trees, steep ramps and a an impressive waterfall. Inside the restaurant, a simple mechanism with two mirrors will provide a view of the Guanabara Bay. The Temporary Exhibitions Hall will be located behind the waterfall: shaped like a large cylinder comprising of two juxtaposed Exhibition Rooms. Finally, a rooftop restaurant, under a white tent, will invite contemplation of the horizon.

The Rio flagship will exhibit important collections previously hosted by the Guggenheim Museum and its affiliates; an impressive program of Brazilian and Latin-American art is also planned. Moreover, Guggenheim-Rio will promote activities such as educational programs, debates and cultural exchange, music and dance, open-air movies, and video projections.


For continuing developments following the release of this article, see also:
"Nouvel's Guggenheim Museum in Rio Blocked by Brazilian Court"