Architecture News

On Saturday, September 21, the City of Paris inaugurated the Marielle Franco Garden in honor of the Brazilian councilwoman assassinated in 2018 in Rio de Janeiro. Located in the city's 10th arrondissement, next to the Gare de l'Est, one of the French capital's main train stations, the project was led by the European Network for Democracy in Brazil (Red-Br) association with the support of the collectives Autres Brésils, France Amérique Latine, Amnesty International France, Coletiva Marielles, Ligue des Droits de l’Homme, Inter LGBT, and Amis des Sans Terre.

The São Paulo Association of Art Critics (APCA) announced yesterday the list of winners for the 2019 APCA Award. The awards are divided into ten categories, encompassing architecture, visual arts, cinema, literature, fashion, popular music, radio, theater, children's theater, and television.

Since 2010, APCA has included architecture critics, who this year presented seven awards: best architectural work; environmental resistance; promotion of architecture in public debate; appreciation of architectural heritage; career dedicated to public university and academic research; urbanity; and urban appropriation.

The City of Salvador is launching the second phase of the "Eu Curto Meu Passeio" program, which aims to promote the renovation of poorly maintained sidewalks that pose a risk to the public.

A crowdfunding campaign is now open to fund the creation of the "Mulheres na Cidade" guide. Conceived by Carmen Guerreiro and Fernanda Carpegiani, communicators and founders of Formiga-me, the guide will map locations in São Paulo that value, welcome, and bring together women's learning and experiences in the capital.

The restoration and reconstruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral—one of the most well-preserved examples of Gothic architecture, tragically devastated by a fire this week—will take several years (five, according to French President Emmanuel Macron's promise) and hundreds of millions of euros. Meanwhile, Patrick Chauvet, rector of the famous Parisian icon, has proposed building a "temporary" wooden cathedral to welcome worshippers and tourists.

The Court of Justice of Bahia has ordered the payment of copyright royalties and moral damages to an architect and urban planner whose designs were reproduced in 39 projects built across several Brazilian states. The Social Transportation Service (SEST) and the National Transportation Learning Service (SENAT), which used the designs without authorization in Integrated Care and Professional Centers for Transportation Workers (Capits) nationwide, were ordered to pay not only the inflation-adjusted copyright fees for the 39 projects, but also R$ 100,000 in moral damages. Furthermore, they must publish in a major newspaper, for three consecutive days in a prominent layout, the credit of architect Daniel Colina as co-author of the Capits' architectural design. 

Casa Lacerda, one of the main architectural heritage sites in the Lapa region (Paraná), will soon be revitalized. Currently operating as a museum and Heritage House—with rooms styled to recreate the home of a traditional local family—the space will be expanded with the construction of an annex. On Wednesday (18), the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (Iphan) and the Paraná Department of the Institute of Architects of Brazil (IAB-PR) announced the winning proposals of the national design competition for the new building.

Starting November 5, bus riders in Vargem Grande Paulista will be exempt from paying fares. The city is the first in the São Paulo metropolitan area to offer free public transit.

The exuberance of the native pines that named one of São Paulo’s most traditional neighborhoods and one of the city's main rivers is today restricted to old photographs. While this could be just another nostalgic account, it actually serves as the catalyst for an ambitious project by Legado das Águas – Reserva Votorantim: bringing the Atlantic Forest back to the city. Designed by Cardim Arquitetura Paisagística, in partnership with the São Paulo State Secretariat for Infrastructure and Environment and the Metropolitan Water and Energy Company (EMAE), this new phase of the Pomar Urbano (Urban Orchard) Project will see Legado das Águas execute the state's largest urban landscaping project using native Atlantic Forest species, offering an innovative approach to transforming the relationship between the river and the metropolis.

Artist Patrícia Golombek celebrates some of the most iconic pillars of modern Brazilian architecture in her series of acrylic on canvas paintings titled Brazilian Columns of the 20th Century, on display at the Espace Meyer-Zafra gallery as part of Art Miami.

The National Secretariat of Housing of the Ministry of Regional Development and the Council for Architecture and Urbanism of Brazil (CAU/BR) agreed, during a meeting this week in Brasília, to create methods that will allow architects and urban planners to participate directly in real estate financing throughout the country. However, the agreement has not yet been finalized, and the procedures will be developed jointly with financial institutions.

Female architects and urban planners account for 63.47% of the 174,513 registered professionals currently in the country. Despite being the majority in the profession, the spotlight remains focused on men. To break this paradigm and promote dialogue and ways to foster the inclusion and visibility of women in the multiple fields of Architecture and Urban Planning, the Council of Architecture and Urbanism of Rio de Janeiro (CAU/RJ) has launched the CAU + Mulheres Award.

One of Brazil's most influential designers, José Zanine Caldas would have celebrated his centenary in April this year. To honor his legacy, the municipality of Belmonte, Bahia, plans to open a museum in February next year. The project will be divided into two phases: the restoration of the historic mansion where Caldas was born, followed by an expansion designed by Márcio Kogan.

Videos

The School of Architecture and Urbanism at the University of São Paulo (FAU USP), one of the most prestigious architecture schools in Latin America, recently launched its YouTube channel—an initiative that continues efforts to highlight its community's work and democratize knowledge. Featuring student projects, lectures, documentaries, and expert perspectives on a wide range of topics, the channel offers diverse and relevant content.

Following heavy rains that hit Maceió at the beginning of the year, residents of the Pinheiro neighborhood entered a state of emergency as several cracks appeared in the area. Civil Defense authorities state that the neighborhood is at risk of collapse, and the main threat is that the asphalt could sink enough to create a sinkhole and destroy buildings, endangering the lives of over twenty thousand residents.

Videos

The film “Melting Souls” by François-Xavier Destors won the Best Documentary award at the 7th edition of the Arquiteturas Film Festival, which took place from June 4 to 9 at Cinema São Jorge in Lisbon.

The California Air Resources Board, or CARB, is a 16-member panel (mostly appointed by the governor) that oversees air pollution control efforts in California. In December, the board approved a first-of-its-kind regulation in the US, establishing a statewide goal for public transit agencies to gradually transition to 100% zero-emission bus fleets by 2040.

The offices AUÁ arquitetos and Estúdio Itinerante were awarded third place in the national competition for the new headquarters of the Association of Engineers and Architects of Sorocaba (AEAS). Read the full project description and proposal below.