Gustavo Capanema Palace, Rio de Janeiro

The Gustavo Capanema Palace, also known as the Ministry of Education and Health Building, is a significant government office in Rio de Janeiro's Centro district. It's a prime example of 1930s Brazilian Modernist architecture, designed by architects like Lucio Costa, Affonso Eduardo Reidy, Ernani Vasconcellos, Carlos Leão, Jorge Machado Moreira, and Roberto Burle Marx, with oversight by Le Corbusier. Construction started in 1939 under Getúlio Vargas's government and was completed in 1943 as the Ministry of Education and Health's headquarters.

The edifice, named after Gustavo Capanema, Brazil's first Minister of Education, stands 15 stories tall with a light and elevated design. It features vibrant colors, unique architectural elements like blue curves on the rooftop, and innovative sun-shades on the northern glass walls to capture tropical sunlight.

The exterior of the building is adorned with modernist tropical gardens thoughtfully designed by the esteemed landscape architect, Roberto Burle Marx. These gardens feature indigenous Brazilian flora, which was a unique choice during that era. Additionally, a midlevel rooftop garden was designed to be appreciated from an aerial perspective by the occupants of the office floors above. At ground level, the landscape includes the majestic Imperial Palms (Roystonea oleracea).

Moreover, the building showcases specially commissioned artworks by other prominent Brazilian artists. Notably, the exterior is adorned with mural tiles, while the interior boasts expansive wall paintings by Cândido Portinari, one of Brazil's most celebrated painters.