An exclusive look at Francis Kéré’s new library in Rio de Janeiro, the architect’s first project in South America

Kéré Architecture has revealed the design of its first project to be built in South America. Situated in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, in the Cidade Nova neighbourhood, Biblioteca dos Saberes (The House of Wisdom) is a library inspired by the region's context.

The 40.000 sqm public library, the firm's second literary project after the Gando Primary School Library, is inspired by Rio's native trees, and is set to act as a vibrant cultural hub which reflects the city’s rich historical heritage. The project was commissioned by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall and presented to members of the local community on 20 November 2025, the National Day of Zumbi and Black Consciousness in Brazil.

A first look inside Francis Kéré's Biblioteca dos Saberes design

The Berlin-based firm, which was founded by Francis Kéré in 2005, has always had a focus on architecture fuelled by social commitment. Biblioteca dos Saberes is an embodiment of this, encompassing design and knowledge sharing. A core focus of the building’s design is ‘the tree of knowledge’, which comprises a vertical cylinder inspired by trees native to the Tijuca Forest.

Complementing these references to Brazil's natural landscape, Kéré also nods to his hometown of Gando in Burkina Faso, where trees act as gathering places. The building is rooted in creating pockets of shared spaces across its three stories, from its reading rooms and exhibition spaces, to an auditorium and a café.

The building’s façade is perforated, creating shade from the sun, as well as cooling ventilation. There are open-air areas, courtyards, a canopied amphitheatre, a café, and a rooftop garden. A pedestrian bridge will connect the library to a monument to the anti-slavery resistance leader Zumbi dos Palmares.

The library is nestled within a site of layered cultural history. It replaces the former Praça Onze (Brazil’s first samba school ), and is adjacent to Oscar Niemeyer’s Sambódromo. The project is designed to act as a meeting point for different communities and reflects upon Kéré’s experience of building in Africa. An aim is to reimagine the Atlantic ‘not as a divide but as a river of shared heritage linking Brazil and Africa, shaping a library and cultural hub designed to inspire and serve generations to come.’

Says Kéré: ‘The Biblioteca dos Saberes is a celebration of the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro. I love its rhythm, its voices, its spirit flowing through the streets and along the waves of the Atlantic. This library grows from the city’s history and wisdom, from samba that moves the body to the poetry that moves the heart. It is a home for knowledge that belongs to everyone, a place where past and future meet beneath one roof, open to the city and to the sea that carries its stories to the world.’

kerearchitecture.com