Architecture for Everyone: Discover the Work of Terra e Tuma

Written by Camilla Ghisleni | Translated by Tarsila Duduch
Published on December 07, 2021

Ms. Dalva's house in Vila Matilde has certainly helped put the four architects of Terra e Tuma, Danilo Terra, Pedro Tuma, Fernanda Sakano, and Juliana Terra, on the architectural spotlight worldwide. With simple and smart solutions, this project has already received six awards, both national and international. The office based in São Paulo, Brazil, has since managed to share their experiences by presenting a new way of designing good and affordable architecture for the underprivileged social classes. However, despite the great impact of this project, the office is not limited to just one type of client and solution, as can be seen in their extensive body of work developed over almost 15 years of practice.

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This versatility says a lot about the office's understanding of architecture, which goes beyond aesthetics, acting as a support for people's daily lives. Their works show the team's commitment to designing buildings as active players in the construction of the city while touching on other disciplines such as fine arts, cinema, and sociology. In this sense, their design methodology is not ruled and defined by a specific style, but rather by a continuous process of investigation, a work in progress. Even the materials used in the projects are defined by a combination of different factors, and what matters is the spatial quality of the environments and their functionality. Through this process, each creation emerges from a temporary paradigm with precise goals that result in a concise system, both in terms of visual language and building techniques.

Combining their design process with multiple inspirations, Terra e Tuma offers contemporary designs that address many issues beyond architecture itself, with environmentally friendly and socially responsible projects that serve as tools targeting different subjects. Terra e Tuma's success reflects in the many awards they have won, not to mention their participation in the Venice, Rotterdam, and Quito Biennales. To learn more about their designs, check out a selection of ten works below: