Demolish or restore? 20 renovation projects in Brazil

One of the primary challenges facing contemporary cities is the renewal of existing infrastructure to accommodate a growing urban population. Shifting to the scale of architecture and the built object, restoring legacy structures to assign them new uses and functions also emerges as both a challenge and a major opportunity of our times. Although the world is building at an unprecedented pace, we must not lose sight of the value of existing structures that can be adapted and reused.

With this in mind, we have selected twenty examples of remodeling projects in Brazil. Spanning a wide range of scales—from small retail shops to major cultural facilities—this selection demonstrates that there are no upper or lower limits when it comes to restoring and repurposing architectural spaces.

Fábrica de Gaiteiros / Emily Borghetti