Untitled - Instituto Art Deco Brasil

French charm by the sea
The Biarritz Building, on Flamengo Beach, still is an icon of art déco, a style that embellished Rio de Janeiro during
the 20th century
By EVA JOORY
Produced by MÁRCIO ROITER
Photos by RÔMULO FIALDINI
WALKING THROUGH LARGE CITIES LIKE SÃO PAULO and Rio de Janeiro, it is easy to notice French
architectonic style present in some of the buildings at both metropolises. Lost in the urban chaos and among a
new aesthetic not as glamorous nor as adapted to the new era, some buildings still maintain the glamour of a past
when Brazil celebrated its visual beauty and absolute prosperity. One of the most beautiful examples of buildings
of French origin is the Biarritz Building, on 268, Flamengo Beach, still a déco icon in Rio. Giving credibility to
that statement is antiques dealer Marcio Roiter, to whom the Biarritz “was able to adapt the French art déco style
from the 1920s to the needs of a building in a tropical city—from the thickness of the walls, controlling the heat,
to the awnings installed since the beginning, to the balcony-shaped verandas that create a natural barrier to street
sounds.”
The Biarritz is a design by the French duo Henri Paul Pierre Sajous and Auguste Rendu. It dates from 1940.
There are 22 apartments distributed through its 12 stories, with different floor plans. The largest ones have 270
squared meters; the smallest, 180. French influence over Brazilian architecture started in 1816 with the arrival of
the French Mission to the country and lasted until the Second World War. There were four distinct styles: neoclassic,
eclectic, art déco or art nouveau and modern. The different styles brought to Brazil more than a glamorous
and luxury aesthetic. It brought a way to live well. The constructions were divided into completely independent
wings—sleeping quarters, living rooms, and service areas, imitating the European style of dwelling.
With this aesthetic, the Biarritz attracted famous dwellers, like Percival Farquhar, a controversial businessman
who lived in the building’s penthouse. The home that once belonged to the couple known as Lucia & Harry, representatives
of the American cinema that hosted many actors and directors who came to Rio between 1950 and 1970,
is also there, occupying a duplex in the building.
A great admirer of the Biarritz’s architecture, Roiter lists the details that add personality and charm to the building:
“Light streamlined touches, the choice of noble materials, such as marble, wrought-iron with details in bronze,
hardwood, grand mirrors and, above all, the idea that the biggest luxury is the sensation of open spaces”. Time, according
to Roiter, never left its mark on the building. “Biarritz is an isolate example of a building that aged gracefully,”
he praises.