Architecture News

Construction of the Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station, the Brazilian Navy's research base in Antarctica, is complete after three years of work on the planet's most extreme continent. A masterpiece of architecture and engineering, the facility features 700 tons of steel structures, an aerodynamic shape to withstand winds of up to 200 km/h, and a stilted base to prevent winter snow accumulation from reaching the building. 

Building certified sustainable public buildings is now a viable reality. At least, that is what the Hassis Daycare project in Florianópolis, designed by architect Rachel Braga, demonstrates. The 1,182-square-meter building is the first of its kind in the world and the first public building in Brazil to receive the highest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating: Platinum.

The CAU/BR is studying new rules for issuing Technical Responsibility Records (RRT) and Technical Collection Certificates (CAT) by architects and urban planners. The Professional Practice Commission, which is presenting the proposal to the public, aims to improve the registration system to protect both architects and their clients regarding the technical responsibility of architecture and urbanism services.

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) is offering free online courses on smart cities and future cities. Available through the edX platform, which is shared by institutions worldwide, the courses last ten weeks and are conducted via video.

The United Nations, through its Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), launched a publication this month focusing on strategies to integrate nutrition policies into urban planning. The document highlights best practices in reducing food waste, promoting healthy diets, and strengthening local production chains.

The Federal University of Alagoas unanimously approved the Honorary Doctorate for architect Zélia de Melo Maia Nobre. In a historic moment for architecture in Northeastern Brazil, the “lady of the elegant line,” an icon of the regional modern movement, was recognized as the “first woman to receive the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from UFAL,” in the words of Rector Valéria Correia, president of the University Council.

Today, São Paulo's largest and most visited park, Ibirapuera, celebrates 65 years since its inauguration in 1954. To mark the occasion, the Municipal Secretariat for the Green and the Environment (SVMA) is hosting five days of special programming featuring tours, debates, concerts, meditation classes, performances, and workshops, among other activities.

Infinito Vão: Brasil, the series of talks taking place on March 22 and 23 at IMS, is an extension of the program of activities for the exhibition of the same name, currently on view until April 28 at Casa da Arquitectura in Matosinhos, Portugal.

Curated by Fernando Serapião, Guilherme Wisnik, and Nuno Sampaio, Infinito Vão: Brasil will bring together architects, photographers, and cultural managers over two days for a series of talks and debates on the history of Brazilian architecture, its influence on daily and cultural life, and the connections it builds with other artistic expressions.

Registration is now open for the 27th World Congress of the International Union of Architects (UIA), the world's largest architecture event, which will be held for the first time in Brazil, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, in 2020.

The Tomie Ohtake Institute has announced the 15 projects selected for the 2nd Tomie Ohtake Institute Leroy Merlin Design Award. This edition's theme, CIRCULAR, prompted proposals and discussions on the word as a form, and as a synonym for displacement, movement, communication, exchange, renewal, and sustainability, among other interpretations.

An overview of the work of Ruy Ohtake, spanning from his early career as a recent graduate to his current projects, will be featured in two exhibitions in São Paulo. While the Museu da Casa Brasileira exhibits about 40 projects, either built or under construction, curated by Agnaldo Farias, the Instituto Tomie Ohtake showcases his work as a designer, featuring approximately 25 pieces selected by curators Fábio Magalhães, Marili Brandão, and Priscyla Gomes.

The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo Crivella, has signed into law Bill No. 642-A of 2017, authored by former councilwoman Marielle Franco, which establishes free, public technical assistance for the design and construction of social interest housing for families with a monthly income of up to three minimum wages in the state capital.

The City of Camaçari and the Institute of Architects of Brazil – Bahia Department have announced the winners of the national design competition for the public park on Morro da Manteiga. The goal was to select a viable project that provides Morro da Manteiga with a socially inclusive and environmentally healthy use.

Organized by the Municipality of Ribeirão Preto last October, the competition for the city's Administrative Center has concluded with the selection of three winning projects and two honorable mentions. Discover the selected projects below:

Brazil has just received another World Heritage designation. Paraty and Ilha Grande (RJ) were recognized this Friday, July 5, by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Committee during a meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan. There are now 22 Brazilian properties on the list of sites of outstanding universal value.

Widely used in roofing tiles and water tanks, the production of asbestos in Brazil was halted in 2017 by a Supreme Court ruling. Studies conducted by the World Health Organization prove that the material is carcinogenic; however, counter to this evidence and the consensus in 65 other countries, four Brazilian senators are calling for the resumption of the mineral's production.

The Council of Architecture and Urbanism of Rio de Janeiro (CAU/RJ) has launched two public calls for sponsorship proposals and one partnership call for the production of short films on urban policy. The sponsorships focus on projects relevant to the knowledge, strengthening, and development of the profession in the state of Rio de Janeiro, as well as projects supporting technical assistance for social interest housing (ATHIS).

A new law scheduled for approval by the end of the first half of 2019, set to take effect by decree in 2020, is expected to establish guidelines and objectives for solar energy use in the city of São Paulo. Regulations from Palmas, in the Brazilian state of Tocantins, and California, in the United States, served as benchmarks to technically develop a bill tailored to the city's needs.