A Noite Building

Frederico Aversa Masson
Oct 31, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Nov 4, 2024

The Joseph Gire Building — commonly reffered as A Noite Building — is a skyscraper located in the Mauá Square, in Rio de Janeiro's city center. An engineering and architectural landmark for Brazil, A Noite Building was constructed from 1927 to 1929, being designed by architect Joseph Gire - who was also responsible for the construction of the Copacabana Palace Hotel in 1923. The high-rise built in a remarkable Art Deco style was the tallest building in Latin America until 1932 — when it was surpassed by the Martinelli Building in São Paulo.

From the time of its completion until 1936, the building housed the A Noite newspaper. Because of the installation of a huge sign spelling "A Noite" in the building's façade and the popularity of the newspaper, the high-rise quickly became known as A Noite, and its original name became forgotten. By the second half of the 1930s, the newspaper left the building, but the name remained— and it remains until today.

In 1936, after the A Noite newspaper left the building, the high-rise began housing the Rádio Nacional — at the time, the most popular radio station in Brazil. During the 1930s and 1940s — the Golden Age of Brazilian radio — notable singers and celebrities went to the building to take part in Rádio Nacional's programs and soap operas.

During President Getúlio Vargas' Estado Novo, the A Noite building became a property of the Federal Government, as the Rádio Nacional began being run by the State-owned Empresa Brasileira de Comunicação - the EBC (Brazilian Communications Company). Rádio Nacional continued to operate in A Noite until 2012, when it moved to a building owned by EBC in Lapa.

In 2013, the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage made A Noite a cultural and historic landmark. However, with the departure of Rádio Nacional, the building became abandoned and deterioted.

Under Mayor Eduardo Paes, a project to renovate the building was established. A Noite building was bought by the municipality in July 2023 and it is currently under renovation. When the project gets completed, A Noite will serve as a residential, touristic, and commercial hub.