This limited edition book takes us to Burle Marx’s public gardens, parks and beachfront promenades in Rio, to understand how these modernist spaces shaped the city, its culture and its identity.

This is the first book to publish the rarely-seen architectural drawings that informed the construction of the famous pavements of Copacabana Beach. The accompanying images by Brazilian photographer Layla Motta show the city both at its grandest and its most intimate. First-hand interviews with Brazilian architects, botanists and the successors of landscape practice Burle Marx & Cia bring the book to life, and give readers a new insight into the story of a city and its public spaces.

“Architecture books can sometimes feel impenetrable to the lay person – but Roberto’s Rio is an engaging read even for those who don’t know the first thing about landscape design. It’s a fascinating portrait of a fascinating creative – and one that will likely have readers longing to book a trip to Copacabana.”
— Creative Review, October 2018