By Jay Forte, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – According to a government report the long awaited Museum of Image and Sound (MIS) that will face Copacabana Beach has reached seventy percent completion. The plan to relocate the museum was first conceived over seven years ago after Brazil was named as the 2014 World Cup host country, and the initial opening date was set for the end of 2012.
Once completed the MIS will celebrate the culture of Rio de Janeiro, and now has a new inauguration scheduled for next year. The massive structure will be 8.7 million square meters, divided into eight floors, two of which will be underground.
“The new headquarters of the MIS will be a milestone in the construction of public buildings for culture in Rio de Janeiro and will become a new icon in the landscape of our city,” said the secretary of culture, Eva Doris Rosental.
MIS architects attribute the structure’s main inspiration to the beach of Copacabana. The building will be in shades of white, gray and black, the colors of the boardwalk mosaic that is iconic imagery of the world-famous beach promenade.
The first floor of the building will be dedicated to humor and irreverence Rio, while the second floor will tell the history of music, including samba, choro and auditorium programs of the National Radio. The third floor will honor the Brazilian and Carmen Miranda television, incorporating the museum collection dedicated to the bombshell. On the fourth floor, visitors circulate through images of urban evolution.
In the basement, there will be a nightclub. On the terrace, outdoor film screenings will be held. The museum will also feature venues for educational and research activities, as well as areas for administration, a restaurant with panoramic views, cafe, shop and a service area.
Authorities report sustainability was part of the design from the conception of the museum. MIS seeks LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). For this, several measures were taken: reducing water consumption; use of at least fifty percent of woods with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council – Forest Stewardship Council) and the use of low-carbon materials among other elements.
The MIS museum originally opened in 1965 and has always been considered an important research center in the city. It is hoped, however, that the new location and impressive array of plans for the museum will increase its appeal to a wider demographic of visitors.
Since the beginning the project had been surrounded by controversy as the museum is being built on the site of a former famous Rio nightclub, Help. The club was known for being a place where prostitutes congregated and somewhat of an institution for decades.