Wanderley showing the future of the marvalous Samba City

1) Where does the idea of building Cidade do Samba comes from?

Some time ago, like four years the Liga das Escolas de Samba (Samba Schools league) were interested on a place that could make their work on costumes and carnival more professional and mainly a place that would be next to Marquês de Sapucaí ( the place for defiles of samba schools).

After that the City Hall of Rio de Janeiro had the idea of creating a contest where the architects could expose their works, give solutions and choose a suitable nice area for the Cidade do Samba.

My team´s project was the chosen winner and after that we were called to build it.
And the project includes a little more than Cidade do Samba: behind it there will be a Multimedia Museum that will show temporary exhibitions for the public and a possible “Detached” place, if compared to the others.

2) Why the Zona Portuária (Port´s Zone) was the chosen place?Was that because the good number of cruise ships that come to Brazil?

It was kind of a coincidence, we have searched for a place that could have more space available for construction.
The Port´s Zone is a place that has many old industries that are not working anymore and free lands to built.
The land we have chosen is the one that used to be belong to an old train station of Rio de Janeiro, but since the land was designed for that means in the past, we have found more than enough room to build there, although we had to remove the old tracks to use the area.
Talking about this, the Multimedia Museum is going to be built inside one of the stations a big train used to be kept inside. We will recuperate the old façades and use the inside part of it, it will tell some of the history.
We didnt think about the cruise ships, but, for sure they can bring benefits and people to enjoy City of Samba, sice it will be close to the place of arrival for tourists.

3) When it will be the opening date?

Probably it will be opened and working for Carnival 2006, but maybe during the year 2005 there will be some presentations and shows made by the schools of samba for tourists and for Rio inhabitants.

4) How many square meters and buildings does City of Samba have? Does each escola de samba will have their own?

The total area is estimated around 93.000m2.
The place has 14 buildings (called barracões) and are around 20m height, divided in 3 floors, being the first designed for the construction and maintenance of the Carros Alegóricos and customs with a machine system take takes the customs and pieces of the Carros Alegóricos from one place to the other.
The second floor is for administration and painting and for sewing and so on..

5) Are there going to be any differences among the 14 buildings?

Yes, but each one of them has its own advantages. The shape of the land did not allow us to plan and divide each one just like the other. But everyone of them will have a catwalk in front of what will be the second floor in order that the tourists can see what is going on inside each first floor of the buildings.(see pictures).
Each building has an order to be chosen: The samba schools that wins the first place has the right to choose its building first and so on.

6) How many squares and places for defiles it will have?

The place consists in 14 buildings arranged around a common and central area with a landscape project where the Escolas de Samba will be able to march and present themselves and people will be able to see it from the around parts or on the upper floor catwalks. Every look will be converged to a central point : the big square that will have 2 tensioned canvases for special presentations made by the winner school of the year and other events.

7) How the acoustics and illumination will be?

It is all going to be provide for 2 different companies : the inside part of buildings is a project and the outside part is an other one.
Concerning to the acoustics, it will be an opened place for sure and the sound reach all the areas around . Since the are is not a residential area, I don´t think it will be a problem.

8) Will there be stores, which sells souvenirs and snacks? What is going to be sold there?

There will be about 4 quiosques (snack bars) of 100m2 each and 2 restaurants.
An interesting thing will happen inside one of the old trains that is still there . It will turn out to be a snack bar or restaurant, (inside of it) .
What is going to be sold concerning to souvenirs is a matter to be decided by the league of samba Schools.

9) How will the tickets be bought? What will be the price? And the security system?

All the areas can be visited for free. There are no tickets to enter the place. You will just have to spend money in case you want to buy something inside the place.
All the security will be provided and hired by the league of Samba Schools.

10) Will some buses and vans be free shuttle ones? I mean, to take the tourists there.

I think there will be transportation like that in a near future. Maybe the hotels and tourism agencies will include that ride in their folders turning it possible.
There are going to be parking spots specially designed for buses and trucks.

11) How many parking spots are there?

The parking spots will be all around City of Samba and in the future there will be a garage building of 3 or more floors that will be able to attend the number of cars that comes to the place.

12) Are there going to be activities for Escolas de samba e tourists visits out of Carnival time?

Probably yes. During the year, not necessarily close to Carnival dates the presidents of samba schools can make shows together or separated.
All the shows will be on a right time and on a right day.
The presentations will be with “baterias- mirim”(junior), junior samba schools and etc..

13) With all the the main Escolas de Samba moving into Cidade do samba , what will happen with their old location?

The old places will be used for other means and will not belong to the samba schools anymore.

14) Will that Escolas de samba have to pay any amount per month/year to stay on those locations inside Cidade do Samba?

No, everything will be provided for them by the Samba Schools league.

15) Will there be any special week/weekend /holiday where the Escolas de samba will present themselves?

There will be a schedule for presentations and it will be informed as soon as the activities start.

16) Will the tourists be able to go there and see the samba cars (carros alegóricos) and costumes (fantasias) ?

Everything can bee seen by the long and suspended catwalks that crosses all the way around the buildings.

17) When the samba enredo of each year will be announced?

Every year there is a party that announces the Samba Enredo. Its between the end of October and beginning of November.

18) How do you think will be the competition between the escolas de samba?

Competition is a thing that always existed and always will.


19) Do you think the escolas de samba will spy on each other? How can they prevent themselves from that?

Well, each samba school has a different topic for the carnival, then its not very feasible to copy the ideas. Mainly because sometimes the great surprises come from the most unexpected designs.

20) Do you think that will exist cooperation between the escolas de samba?

No, everybody will be by themselves .I mean, each samba school will just support and be responsible for their own things.

21) Will the escolas de samba receive any payment from Cidade do Samba?

No, all the money received by them is paied by the Leagues of Samba Schools.

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