The building, Edifício A Noite, in Praça Maua, was the first skyscraper in Latin America. The art deco building, with 22 floors and a basement, was designed by the architects Elisiáro Bahiana and Joseph Gire. Gire also helped design two other prized projects for the city: The Copacabana Palace and the Hotel Glória.
According to historian Nireu Calvalcanti, the height of the building, inaugurated in 1929, was only rivaled by buildings in the United States at the time. Its use also demonstrates its historical importance. The building was home to the Rio de Janeiro evening newspaper: “A Noite.”
Popular music found a home in first Rio de Janeiro tower, as well. Radio Nacional, founded there in 1937, featured shows with a live studio audience, in which celebrities such as Orlando Silva, Francisco Alves, Silvio Caldos, and the fantastic Radamés Gnattali and Pixinguinha shown bright.