A modernist architectural icon, Capanema Palce is one of the first examples of the style in Brazil. Constructed between 1937 and 1945 by architect Lúcio Costa to be the Ministry of Education and Culture, the building team included promising young designers such as Oscar Niemeyer, Carlos Leão, Jorge Moreira, Affonso Eduardo Reidy, and Ernani Vasconcellos.
The 16-floor building is supported by 10-meter columns and features works by the painter Cândido Portinari, which were commissioned specifically for the inauguration. In the elevator one may find the work “Jogos Infantis,” inspired by the children’s culture of the time. The building also includes the Portinari room, with various works by the artist, as well as paintings from the series “Os Quatro Elementos,” which decorate the second-floor offices. The building’s exterior features blue tiles painted by Portinari.
There is a garden designed by Roberto Burle Marx, a library, and an exhibition and presentation space. Since 1960, when the capital moved to Brasilia, the building has housed the National Arts Foundation (FUNARTE), a branch of the Ministry of Culture. In 2016, it was the stage of a long, cultural occupation protesting the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff.