Collection by Bridget Gleeson
Jaw-Dropping Modern Homes in Rio de Janeiro
From smart modern apartments in Ipanema to minimalist houses overlooking the ocean in Joá, Rio de Janeiro is crowded with enviable living spaces. Click through our slideshow to see some of our favorite rental properties in Rio.
The modern cement interior, with its sophisticated white and slate color scheme, makes a fitting backdrop for an impressive contemporary art collection featuring works by Brazilian artists like Paulo Whitaker, Bruno 9Li, Sesper, and Talita Hoffman. An added bonus: the apartment, located just a block from the beach in happening Leblon, is smartly soundproofed.
Parisian banker-turned-architect Jean-Luc Boucharenc is the creative force behind this striking five-bedroom house in Joá. Inspired by the dramatic natural landscape—the house is built into rocky cliffs above the ocean – Boucharenc opted for a minimalist design, employing glass, cement, and locally sourced wood to create the sensation of living outside. Tom Dixon pendants hang over the dining table.
The architect's penchant for natural Brazilian woods, particularly Peroba Mica, Ipe Tabacco, and Peroba de Campo, is on fine display here, from the wide-plank flooring of the master bedroom to a pair of oceanfront terraces. Inside, the space is furnished with signature pieces by the acclaimed designer Zanini de Zanine and vintage armchairs by the late, great Brazilian design legend Sérgio Rodrigues.
If you have the keys to this cool Leblon penthouse, you'll enjoy spectacular views of Rio's famous Christ the Redeemer statue from the swimming pool. The airy four-bedroom home was designed by Luiz Eduardo Indio da Costa, a pioneering Brazilian architect who, in 2006, became the first-ever recipient of the Niemeyer Commendation Award from the Instituto de Arquitetos do Brasil. With retractable walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a palm tree-fringed wraparound deck encircling the property, this is indoor-outdoor living, modern Brazilian-style.
It's all about the pool—and the pop art—at this colorful triplex, located high above the beach of Ipanema. Occupying the top three floors of a twelve-story building, the light-filled three-bedroom property features multiple living spaces, some with open views of Corcovado and others facing the sea. The penthouse's crowning glory is a petite infinity pool.