Casa Brasil officially opens at Somerset House

Casa Brasil at London’s Somerset House officially opened this morning (Friday 27th July 2012). The neo-classical Thames-side venue will host Casa Brasil, home of the Brazilian Olympic Committee and Rio 2016™ during London 2012.

As well as promoting Brazil and Brazilian sport in the heart of the capital, Casa Brasil at London 2012 will be a focal point for everyone to experience the vibrant culture and creative energy for which Brazil is renowned. It will also be an area where Brazilian trade, investment and tourism agencies will network and foster business relationships.

All of the venue’s 12 versatile events spaces are being utilised to accommodate The Comite Olimpico Brasileiro (COB). The Portico Rooms and The Navy Board Rooms will be used privately by the COB to host intimate parties and house the Rio 2016™ Olympic Committee Offices. The floor and walls in the venue’s Great Arch Lobby have been transformed to mirror a Brazilian beach. The lobby located on the Victoria Embankment level of the building will be used by Rio 2016™ as an informal “Rio Lounge”, accessible to visitors looking for information. At the heart of Somerset House, the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court will host Brazilian style entertainment staging a series of musical performances and DJ sets. Visitors will be able to savour real Brazilian experiences with authentic food and beverages.

The Rio 2016™ Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games recently unveiled a free exhibition of contemporary Brazilian art and design. The exhibition: ‘From the Margin to the Edge: Brazilian Art and Design in the 21st Century’ has been specially commissioned by Rio 2016™ exclusively for Casa Brasil at Somerset House. Bringing together the best of Brazilian art and design today, the exhibition, located in the venue’s Embankment Galleries, celebrates the nation’s rich cultural offering and will showcase 33 artists and designers, featuring both emerging and established names from each of Brazil’s regions to represent the vibrant art scene across the country.

Carlos Arthur Nuzman, President of Rio 2016™ and the Brazilian Olympic Committee, said: “Casa Brasil during London 2012 will be a wonderful opportunity to promote Brazil’s diverse culture, the Rio 2016™ Olympic and Paralympic Games and Brazilian sport. It will make me very proud, when the world gathers in London for the Games, to showcase the best of Brazil’s contemporary art and design.”

Emma Barrow, Head of Events, Somerset House, said: “We’re very excited about the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; the planning that has been undertaken and the regeneration that has taken place in and around London is phenomenal. Our role as a London 2012 Olympic base is a great opportunity to showcase Somerset House and being the official Brazilian House means a lot to us as we know Rio will be following London as the next host for the Games in 2016.”

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