Commissioned by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall, the design for the library called Biblioteca dos Saberes, encompassing an area of 40,000 m², has been revealed. It is inspired by trees native to the region and by the cultural and historical context of the place. This will be Kéré Architecture’s first built project in South America, and it will be part of a new urban development aimed at revitalizing the Cidade Nova area.

The central element of the scheme is the ‘tree of knowledge,’ which evokes the Tijuca National Park and references the natural landscape that surrounds the Brazilian city, as well as the trees of Francis Kéré’s hometown of Gando in Burkina Faso, which serve as community gathering points. This structure connects the building’s three stories, which harbor reading rooms, workshops, exhibition spaces, an auditorium, and a café.

Outside, the library and cultural center expand into landscaped terraces, open-air zones, shaded courtyards, and an amphitheater. A footbridge will link the building to a monument to the anti-slavery resistance leader Zumbi dos Palmares, strengthening its bond with Rio’s historical memory.