In a modernist building in downtown Rio de Janeiro, the projects explore the permanence of an aesthetic that marked Brazilian architecture and furniture
Submitted at Oct 21, 2026, 10:00 AM
(André Nazareth/CASACOR)
The choice of the Aliança da Bahia Building as the venue for CASACOR Rio 2026 creates a special dialogue between architecture and decoration. Built between 1957 and 1961 to house an insurance company, the building is a modernist landmark in downtown Rio, featuring glazed facades and a structure marked by columns integrated into the slabs. Opposite the Gustavo Capanema Palace, another icon of modern architecture, the address offers a setting where past and present meet naturally.
This connection is also revealed in the interiors. Dark wood, glass bricks, vibrant colors, cobogós, furniture with organic shapes and natural fibers make up a repertoire that helped define the identity of Brazilian decoration. At the show, these classic elements of Brazilian modernism appear in interpretations that preserve their aesthetic and functional qualities, while also engaging with other references, curated objects, and contemporary ways of living.
Wood occupies an important place in the history of modern Brazilian furniture, especially from the mid-20th century onward, when designers began to explore native species and their expressive characteristics. Jacaranda, imbuia, and other dark-toned woods appear in furniture and finishes that highlight the grain, texture, and natural presence of the material. In contrast with light surfaces and glass elements, these tones add depth to the interiors and help create welcoming projects, without relying on excessive ornamentation.
Rafael Ramos Arquitetura - Loft Pilotis. Projeto da CASACOR Rio de Janeiro 2026. (André Nazareth/CASACOR)
In Loft Pilotis, by Rafael Ramos Arquitetura, wood takes part in the very organization of the space. Inspired by the pilotis of the Gustavo Capanema Palace, the project features wood-clad pillars that appear to lift off the floor, establishing a visual relationship with modern architecture. The continuous shelving, the three-dimensional panel, and the burgundy modular sofa complete the composition, while pieces from different periods of design reinforce the idea of a home built through layers of memory.
Translucent and geometric, glass bricks found their place in modern architecture by allowing light to pass through without requiring the complete opening of the projects. The surface of the blocks diffuses natural light and creates partitions that preserve a certain privacy, without entirely interrupting visual continuity. Beyond their practical function, the material adds rhythm to walls and establishes an interesting contrast with opaque surfaces such as wood and concrete.
Raphael Assaf Arquitetura - Estúdio Orbe. Projeto da CASACOR Rio de Janeiro 2026. (André Nazareth/CASACOR)
In Estúdio Orbe, designed by Raphael Assaf Arquitetura, this solution contributes to making the most of the 42 sqm available. The glass brick partition separates the private area from the living room and channels the light coming from the facade into the lounge, enhancing the fluidity of the integrated floor plan. The concrete, dark wood, and artworks add further layers to the composition, which proposes an urban retreat with an introspective atmosphere.
The relationship with the Brazilian landscape and culture helped give national modernism its own personality. In the visual arts, architecture, and design, color became an expressive resource capable of creating contrasts, highlighting volumes, and establishing associations with different cultural references. In interiors, vibrant and tropical tones such as reds, mustard yellows, and striking blues can coexist with prints, textures, and natural materials
Amanda Miranda Arquitetura - Estúdio 7. Projeto da CASACOR Rio de Janeiro 2026. (André Nazareth/CASACOR)
This freedom appears in Estúdio 7, by Amanda Miranda Arquitetura, a 70 sqm loft that brings together living room, kitchen, bedroom and garden. The mix of colors, textures and patterns approaches a relaxed way of living, while contemporary furniture and objects coexist with scavenged pieces.
Created in Pernambuco in the late 1920s, the cobogó was incorporated into Brazilian modernist architecture in the following decades. Its modular structure allows air circulation and natural light to enter, responding to the country's climatic conditions, while the openwork designs produce geometric patterns and plays of shadow. The combination of functionality and plastic expression made the element a lasting reference, present both on facades and as interior partitions.
Diego Raposo + Arquitetos - Astrodome Bistrô. Projeto da CASACOR Rio de Janeiro 2026. (André Nazareth/CASACOR)
In the Astrodome Bistrô, by Diego Raposo + Arquitetos, the cobogós also take part in a narrative about memory and the passage of time. The space occupies the location where the former Astrodome restaurant operated for more than four decades. The openwork partition separates the kitchen from the dining area, preserving visual continuity and integrating with the setting. Alongside the geometric patterns and overlapping textures, the modernist element helps build an atmosphere that recovers the familiarity of a historic place without giving up a contemporary language.
Organic shapes expanded the possibilities of modern Brazilian furniture by introducing curves and volumes that moved away from geometric rigidity. Designers such as Joaquim Tenreiro and Sérgio Rodrigues explored the relationship between design, comfort and materiality, creating pieces in which wood and the proportions of the body took part in the formal conception.
Cité Arquitetura - Ateliê Devir. Projeto da CASACOR Rio de Janeiro 2026. (André Nazareth/CASACOR)
In Ateliê Devir, by Cité Arquitetura, the appreciation of objects appears through an experimental approach that favors the manual gesture and transformation. Exposed conduits and construction elements coexist with scavenged furniture, antique rugs and pieces marked by use, in a deliberately unfinished composition. The space dialogues with the experimental spirit of modernism by placing objects and creative processes at the center of the experience.
The presence of cane webbing and other natural fibers in modern Brazilian furniture expresses the encounter between industrial design and artisanal tradition. The openwork weave of cane, used in seats and backrests, offers visual lightness and ventilation, while the fibers add texture and bring objects closer to manual techniques. Combined with wooden structures, these materials help create a balance between solidity and delicacy.
Sérgio Conde Caldas Arquitetura - Recôndito Remanso. Projeto da CASACOR Rio de Janeiro 2026. (André Nazareth/CASACOR)
In Recôndito Remanso, by Sérgio Conde Caldas Arquitetura, this appreciation for natural materiality and craftsmanship connects to the proposal of a space dedicated to pause and memory. The project brings together a hall, a psychoanalysis office, and a reconnection nook, with wood, textures, artworks, books, and sentimental objects. More than resorting to a specific piece as a historical reference, the project revisits the sensibility present in modern design: that of recognizing in materials, objects, and their stories an essential part of the experience of inhabiting.
Where: Edifício Aliança da Bahia, Rua Araújo Porto Alegre, 36, Centro, Rio de Janeiro – RJ
When: from September 15 to November 8, 2026
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Box office hours: Tuesday to Sunday, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Holidays: exceptional opening on Monday, November 2
Digital box office: https://appcasacor.com.br/events/rio-de-janeiro-2026
Ticket prices: R$ 120.00 (full) and R$ 60.00 (half-price).
Half-price:
- Seniors aged 60 and over.
- Students, upon presentation of valid photo ID or proof of payment.
- PWD (person with disability) and their companion (in accordance with Law No. 12,933/2013).
- Public or private school teachers, upon presentation of valid photo ID.
Free admission for children up to 10 years old, upon proof.
A single CPF may purchase a maximum of 10 tickets.
Group sales: for purchases of more than 10 tickets or by CNPJ, send an email to daniele@tresplus.com
There is no on-site parking.
