More than a destination, Rio is a living territory where landscapes, cultures, histories and ways of life meet, overlap and continuously transform one another.
As the proposed host city of the UIA 2028 International Forum on Architecture, Urbanism and Sustainable Tourism, Rio de Janeiro seeks to represent Brazil in its territorial, cultural, environmental and urban diversity, while connecting the experiences of the Americas to a global dialogue on the future of cities.
The theme One City. Many Worlds. reflects Rio’s singular condition: a place where multiple worlds coexist through exchange, tension, coexistence and transformation. Over more than 450 years, these layers have shaped a unique urban landscape where nature and urbanization, ancestry
and contemporaneity, formality and informality, architecture and everyday life are deeply intertwined.
This installation invites you to experience Rio through some of its defining qualities: its topographies, its warmth, its sounds and its culture of conviviality. Drawing inspiration from the imagery of travel — from postcards to today’s smartphones and digital platforms — it explores how tourism shapes the ways we see, remember and connect with places.
In today’s world, tourism is far more than travel. It is part of a complex network of movements linking people, cultures, images, information and territories. Sustainable tourism therefore becomes a powerful framework for discussing environmental responsibility, social inclusion, cultural diversity and territorial justice.
We invite you to imagine, with us, how architecture, urbanism and tourism can contribute to more inclusive, resilient and sustainable futures.
Founded in 1921, the Institute of Architects of Brazil (IAB) is a non-profit, voluntary association present nationwide through its state chapters. It brings together an active, creative collective that debates and leads benchmark actions on housing, sanitation, the environment, urban planning, land use, and heritage preservation, grounded in human dignity, equity, and citizenship.
The IAB promotes Brazilian architecture through competitions, exhibitions, and awards—notably the São Paulo Architecture Biennial and the triennial Brazilian Congress of Architects—fostering reflection on the profession’s social responsibility.
