Celebrating 20 Years - Faena, A Place Like No Other
For me, every idea is an opportunity to create emotion that brings happiness to people’s lives.
More than twenty years ago, we began this journey in Buenos Aires, on a forgotten stretch of the old port. What was once silent and abandoned became a place of connection and creativity, where art, architecture, and community came together to give new life to the city.
A decade later, that same spirit crossed the ocean to Miami Beach, where we transformed another overlooked area into a cultural district that redefined what a neighborhood could be. There, imagination became identity, and the community became its soul.
And now, we celebrate our arrival to New York— the city of dreams. Here, amidst its endless creative energy, we come to offer our heart and share the spirit that has guided us from the very beginning.
To everyone who has shared this journey with me, I offer my deepest gratitude.
ALAN FAENA, DECEMBER 2025
FAENA BUENOS AIRES
2005 – CULTURE REIMAGINED
Set between the vast breath of the Río de la Plata and the quiet stillness of the old port’s docks, the Faena District invites all who wander through it to slow down, to rediscover beauty in the present moment, and to inhabit a world where art, nature, and imagination weave together effortlessly. Over the past twenty years, this once-forgotten stretch of Puerto Madero has awakened into
a realm of culture and creation, transforming the abandoned port into a living canvas of possibility. What began as a daring dream has grown into a neighborhood that breathes poetry back into the metropolis. With this spirit, we sought to spark a true rebirth of the Belle Époque—reviving the elegance, wonder, and vibrant cultural heartbeat that once made Buenos Aires shine for the world.
El Porteño Building, 2000
In an article run on October 27, 1897, the local daily La Nación reported: “…It has been ten years since construction began on the Port of Buenos Aires. It was said that this neighborhood would arise as if a wish had been granted by a genie. Other outlandish promises were made, preposterous speculations: hotels capable of housing entire countries, gardens worthy of Babylon, thousands of wondrous fantasies…”
Faena Buenos Aires, 2005
La Catedral; the monumental reception hall of Faena Buenos Aires
Echoing the grandeur of the Teatro Colón
Bistro Sur restaurant
Malona (2010) by Alberto Passolini at Bistro Sur
El Cabaret is the iconic theater of Faena Buenos Aires, presenting the legendary Rojo Tango show every night.
The poetry of tango dancing in Buenos Aires
El Mercado restaurant
Fileteado porteño: the colorful, ornate art classic of Buenos Aires at El Mercado
Classic Argentine asado served daily on El Mercado’s terrace
Tom Wolfe
Faena Buenos Aires 10th Anniversary
“This splendid hotel is an oasis of happiness... Thank you for giving me this memory with Charlotte and Alicia... Thank you for the magnificent service that made our stay so pleasurable. Room 707 was a delightful interval of calm and tranquility...” —Jane Birkin
The unforgettable opening of Faena Buenos Aires
“IMAGINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWLEDGE.”
—ALBERT EINSTEIN
Corona by Emiliano Miliyo
Faena Art Center Buenos Aires
O Bicho SusPenso na PaisaGen, Ernesto Neto. Faena Art Center Buenos Aires, 2011.
Walking South, Franz Ackermann. Faena Art Center Buenos Aires, 2012.
Paraísos Desplegables, Manuel Ameztoy. Faena Art Center Buenos Aires, 2012.
El Aleph, Anthony Mc Call. Faena Art Center Buenos Aires, 2013.
Untitled, Pablo Siquier. Los Molinos Building, 2011.
ángeles veloces arcanos fugaces, assume vivid astro focus. Faena Art Center Buenos Aires, 2014.
Faena District Buenos Aires, 2011
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF THE ILUSIONS
by ALEJANDRO JODOROWSKY
Art by Juan Gatti
In a world where everything is illusion, where the individual imagination faces dreams that range from unspeakable hells to paradisiacal realms, there are those who give in to nightmares, which they call crises. Others seek for the most beautiful illusion. Most human beings aspire to find happiness : the Alchemists embodied it in the philosopher’s stone ; Plato saw it in the world of pure ideas ; the Zen Buddhists called it enlightenment ; the Surrealists revered it as amour fou— wild love Every religion, every political doctrine, and even all of the sciences, pursue the most beautiful illusion. And of all the arts, it is the art of hospitality that has tried to present it to us.
In Christianity, ever since Mary and Joseph were denied a room at the inn and had to give birth to Jesus in a manger, the act of providing shelter for the traveler has been a sacred duty. But having become merely a commercial activity —and to say commercial is to say having forgotten the most beautiful illusion— most hotels do not step out of the norm: they provide indifferent services, harmful products, constraints of all kinds, nurturing the presumed poor taste of the traveler, and immersing guests in a childish environment.
Then suddenly, from among the hoards of money-makers, like a fish swimming upstream, there emerges an idealist who aspires to build a hotel that is this most beautiful of illusions. I am talking about Alan Faena. This man, always dressed in white, feeling in the depths of his heart that an approximation was not the thing itself, took the leap beyond the limits of the industry. And with absolute honesty succeeded in his quest to provide the wandering traveler with a shelter where the best in himself could see the light...
And that’s what happened to me… weary from so much traveling, feeling like a citizen of a world I found painful—a world of illusion without beauty—barely had I set foot in Faena Buenos Aires than my stress vanished, as if by magic. Emerging as it does from the past, while becoming a space of the future, the building immediately
offered me the illusion of the most beautiful of homes... Faena Buenos Aires is not a hotel in the strict sense of the term, but an experience that lifts us up towards beauty the moment we set foot in its spectacular, theatrical, artistically refined space. Dwelling there for a time immerses us in a clearly intelligent world, created in the heart of Buenos Aires, where styles from both classical and modern periods intermingle—much like they do in the rest of the city—evidence of a culture that is at once traditional and ultramodern, historical and timeless.
Far removed from the impersonal luxury of international hotels, Faena Buenos Aires stands out for its personality, its aura, its perfection writ large and in the smallest of details. It is like a living entity: a huge, affectionate animal and at the same time a delicate master.
Walking through the corridors illuminated with the utmost sensitivity, entering the bedroom where every corner, bedspread, object, piece of furniture, light fixture, and curtain made me feel that the most beautiful illusion had been consolidated in one space, as close to my ideal home as I could imagine—where I felt both protected and exalted— totally removed from the world of ugly illusions.
In Kafka’s novel The Castle, the traveler, however hard he looks, never finds the castle’s mysterious owner. He is a creator who does not dwell in his work. On the contrary, at Faena Buenos Aires, the creator who has given his name to his unique territory, actually lives within its walls, his presence lending it the alchemical harmony of well-being and extreme refinement, where luxury is transformed into the sweetness of living.
My friend Alan’s ambition is a generous one. Seeking the most beautiful illusion, he has built an expanding universe, overcoming the perpetual impermanence of the world with his ceaseless creation, alive with art and beauty, without ever losing his deep sense of hospitality, his elegance and courtesy, authentic through and through—qualities all the more precious in a world that is ever more losing reverence for the most beautiful illusions.
YOU START WITH AN IDEA, YOU END UP WITH A CULTURE.
FAENA MIAMI BEACH
2015 – A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER
Located in the heart of Miami Beach, along the vast breath of the Atlantic Ocean, the Faena District rose from an area that had long awaited its rebirth. What once stood silent was transformed into a largescale cultural district; a platform for creation and a movement shaped by great thinkers, urban explorers, and epicurean adventurers whose paths intersected through everevolving interdisciplinary art forms. This place became a center for imagination, a living canvas where we introduced, tested, and
shared new ideas, giving rise to communities united by curiosity and creative spirit. Rooted in the belief that creativity thrives when people thrive, Faena elevates the community; cultivating opportunities, fostering cultural exchange, and empowering diverse voices to flourish. Our vision of urban alchemy extended beyond physical renewal, seeking harmony between architecture, nature, and the social and environmental realms, shaping a legacy meant to inspire generations to come.
The Saxony Hotel, 2011
Faena District Miami Beach, 2016
Juan Gatti, 2013
“Faena is a place of art, of music, of theater, of dance and romance, of food and wine, of lovers’ kisses and children’s laughter, of purpose, of poetry, of quiet moonlit nights and sensual speakeasies, of warm winds and deep sleeps, a place to renew the body and detox the soul, a place set amidst gardens tumbling and secret, in cathedrals of stone and towers of glass. Faena is a place like no other.”
—BAZ LUHRMANN
The Way to Futopia, Juan Gatti. The Cathedral, 2015
Cathedral mosaics, Juan Gatti, 2015
Love, Faena Mural by Juan Gatti. The Cathedral, 2015
Francis Mallman at Los Fuegos restaurant
Faena by Tony Kelly
Faena by Tony Kelly
Golden Myth, Damien Hirst, Pao restaurant, 2015
Saxony Bar
Benjamin Millepied, Faena Theater Miami Beach
Samsara; The Cook, The Thief, His Wife And Her Lover; Tryst; Faena Jazz Series; Retro and Allura original productions at Faena Theater Miami Beach.
Rosalía, Faena Theater Miami Beach
Dita Von Teese, Faena Theater Miami Beach
2023 JAZZ SERIES
God Bless La Florida, Gonzalo Fuenmayor, Faena Miami Beach, 2015
Gone But Not Forgotten, Damien Hirst. Mammoth Garden
Faena by Tony Kelly
Tree of Life, Studio Job, Faena District Miami Beach, 2016
Faena Flag by Studio Job, Faena District Miami Beach, 2013
Tierra Santa, José Ignacio, Uruguay
Tierra Santa Healing House
A close-up of the flooring at Tierra Santa beach house, whose colors inspired the palette of Tierra Santa Healing House in Faena Miami Beach
The Hamman, Tierra Santa Healing House
Mural for Tierra Santa Healing House, Juan Gatti, 2015
Tide by Side, Faena District Opening Processional Celebration, 2016
We Belong Here, Tavares Strachan, Faena Festival: This Is Not America, Miami Art Week 2018
A Logo for America, Alfredo Jaar, Faena Festival: This Is Not America, Miami Art Week 2018
America’s Playground, Derrick Adams, Faena Festival: This Is Not America, Miami Art Week 2018
Machine Hallucinations—Coral, Refik Anadol, Miami Art Week 2021
Hall of Visions, Pilar Zeta, Miami Art Week 2021
Maze: Journey Through the Algorithmic Self, Sebastian Errazuriz, Miami Art Week 2023
Once with Me, Once without Me, Pam Tanowitz in collaboration with OMA, Faena Forum, 2016
Common Circle, Jim Denevan, Faena Art Gala, Faena Beach, 2023
Faena by Tony Kelly
Faena by Tony Kelly
FAENA NEW YORK
Faena New York is our love letter to Manhattan. Every corner reflects a commitment to craftsmanship and imagination, where design and experience intersect to form spaces that inspire and delight. Faena seeks to awaken curiosity and spark dialogue, offering an environment where artists, thinkers, and visionaries can converge and share ideas. From immersive installations to carefully curated programs, each experience is
a celebration of creativity and cultural exchange, honoring the rich history of New York while shaping its future. New York City has historically been the center of innovation, creativity, and pushing boundaries, and Faena will embrace and amplify that spirit, offering a touch of magic that honors and contributes to the vibrant legacy of the city, creating a cultural landmark as dynamic and unforgettable as New York itself.
Faena by Tony Kelly
Ascension: A Sephirotic Journey, Diego Gravinese, The Cathedral, 2024–2025
Montreux Jazz Festival, Keith Haring, The Living Room, 1983
Thunderstorms, Alberto Garutti, La Boca restaurant, 2025
Las Monas, Edgardo Giménez, 2025
Paisaje Con Huevo, Edgardo Giménez, La Boca restaurant, 2025
Jacob Lusk
Untitled, Juan Gatti, The Living Room, 2025
Faena Theater New York – Opening 2026
La Mirada, Andrés Reisinger, Faena Theater New York, 2026
Murals for Tierra Santa Healing House, Juan Gatti, 2025
Faena by Tony Kelly
Faena by Tony Kelly
Faena by Tony Kelly
amaze, vogue, ascend, flourish, assume vivid astro focus, the first Faena Art commission in New York, 2025
amaze, vogue, ascend, flourish, assume vivid astro focus, the first Faena Art commission in New York, 2025
Artwork by Diego Gravinese
We celebrate the artists, the rebels, the eccentrics, the agents of change. Those who explore, those who inspire.
We support the writers who stand by their word. We support the philosophers who really love wisdom. We support the builders, the growers, the inventors, the dreamers.
We celebrate new communities, new words, new dances to new tunes. All of them live within us. And we live within them.
