Modernist icon, Capanema Palace is reopened in Rio

The iconic and sumptuous Gustavo Capanema building, in the heart of the city of Rio de Janeiro, an architectural and cultural symbol of Brazil, was reopened on Tuesday (20).

The Capanema Palace, as it became known, was closed for works since 2019 And now, he receives the public again and houses teams from institutions linked to the Ministry of Culture.

The 16 -story building, erected in the period that coincides with the Estado Novo, between 1937 and 1945, has already been headquartered by the Ministries of Education and Health and, today, is listed by the Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN).

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva participated in the reopening alongside the first lady, Janja Lula da Silva, Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes, among other authorities, artists, personalities and guests.

The Capanema reopening event also delivered the Order of Cultural Merit (WTO) to Brazilian personalities and institutions. The award is the highest honor of the country’s cultural sector. The awards had been suspended since 2019 and, in this return, Celebrates the four decades of creation of the Ministry of Culture, with the theme “40 years of Minc: Democracy and Culture”.

“It is always necessary to remember, always and always, from the extraordinary contribution of culture to the defense of democracy,” said Lula in a speech at the event.

“The culture of a people is such a powerful collective force that it will always be on the front line of resistance against any exception regime,” he added.

Capanema

The Capanema Palace was reopened after a wide conservation and modernization work conducted by IPHAN within the Growth Acceleration Program (New PAC).

The works received an investment of R $ 84.3 million and included the modernization of electrical, hydraulic, sanitary, air conditioning and firefighting installations, as well as the recovery of original furniture, restoration of luminaires, blinds and gardens designed by landscaper Roberto Burle Marx.

The building also gained a new surveillance system. Until the second semester, works of art will also undergo restoration. The whole intervention is being conducted by IPHAN, respecting the historical and architectural characteristics of the building.

The new proposal for the Palace conciliates cultural spaces and areas open to public visitation (60% of the building) with MinC’s offices and their linked entities (40%).

Among the highlights is the transformation of the so -called “Minister’s Floor” into a visible area and the creation of a multipurpose space on the ninth floor, as well as the preservation of emblematic environments such as the Gilberto Freyre auditorium and the Euclides da Cunha Library. In addition, a restaurant and a coffee are expected to cover.

This content was originally published in a modernist icon, Capanema Palace is reopened in Rio on the CNN Brazil website.

Source: CNN Brasil

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