Articles

The growing presence of Information and Communication Technologies, known as ICTs, in daily life is driving profound transformations in society, shaped by new forms of interaction based on the intensive production and use of information. In a society where information is an essential raw material, the term big data has taken center stage across corporate, governmental, and academic spheres. Big data inherently refers to the vast, varied, and fast-moving volumes of data constantly being generated.

This "Data Revolution" is certainly palpable in Brazilian cities. But how can it help us move toward a better understanding and planning of our urban areas? The opportunities opened up by big data for exploring innovative questions about urban phenomena and dynamics—especially those involving real-time analysis—are undeniable.

The Vale do Anhangabaú, or simply Anhangabaú, is the area of São Paulo that separates the so-called Centro Velho (Old Center) from the Centro Novo (New Center). True to its name, the Valley is the region bordering the stream of the same name—a somewhat ominous moniker that in Tupi-Guarani means “river or water of the evil spirit.” And indeed, judging by the various unsuccessful ways the space has been used over time, the “curse” embedded in its name seems to linger to this day. 

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We have compiled a list of our best articles, projects, and products on natural and artificial lighting in architecture.

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Across much of Brazil, the climate allows for the daily use of outdoor spaces. From the simplest backyards to backyard annexes equipped with barbecues and ovens, outdoor cooking is deeply rooted in the local culture. This practice has become even more prominent in light of the lessons learned from the pandemic, as open-air spaces tend to be safer. With this in mind, we have compiled twelve outdoor kitchens—or kitchens that open up completely to the outdoors—to provide design inspiration for this type of space.

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Between January and December 2018, addressing the housing demands of Indigenous communities, Grupo ][ Fresta initiated a technical architectural consulting project for the Guarani and Tupi ethnic communities located in the state of São Paulo, in the municipalities of São Paulo, São Bernardo do Campo, Mongaguá, Praia Grande, and Itanhaém.

This work was developed within the framework of a Basic Environmental Plan (PBA), a prerequisite for the environmental licensing of developments located in Indigenous territories.

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Architecture is one of the most beautiful professions—there is an undeniable romance in building the spaces where human beings dwell. It is also one of the oldest: if considered as an activity that organizes space, some form of architectural thinking can be identified dating back at least hundreds of thousands of years. Its beauty, however, is partially eclipsed by widespread frustration within the professional field in Brazil. A general lack of awareness regarding its importance to society, difficulty securing contracts, fierce competition, scarce opportunities in public projects, low-paying jobs, and a willingness to work without fees all contribute to the precarious state of architecture and urban planning.

“WHERE DO WE FIND OURSELVES?” is the title of the installation produced by Estúdio Mangava for feverestival 2020 (Campinas International Theater Festival). It was exhibited during the second week of February, about a month before we went into quarantine. The festival's organizers challenged the studio to represent the edition's theme through an interactive installation, which aimed to reaffirm its present, revisit the past, and project the future: what do we want to build from here? What do we want to reinvent? What kind of world project are we seeking? What are our desirable futures?

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A city is a shared space where individuals seek to realize their desires and goals. Streets, sidewalks, and public spaces foster encounters and connections among diverse groups, strengthening the sense of community. Urban mobility plays a fundamental role in the social and economic development of cities, particularly in citizens' quality of life. It is not just about transportation, but about how people move through the city, impacting the time and energy expended by residents, as well as migration, communication, the formation of personal social networks, traffic flows, housing, health, and the spatial distribution of diverse points of interest. According to Ole B. Jensen, “contemporary cities and places are defined by mobility and their flows.”

Through the Contemporary Culture and Reality Seminar course—then coordinated by Professor José Guilherme Pereira, together with Baque Cidade and the Carmen Portinho Feminist Collective—Escola da Cidade welcomed Mestra Joana Cavalcante, from Nação do Maracatu Encanto do Pina, for a discussion on what Maracatu is and how, in its local territories—with the city of Recife (PE) serving as an emblematic case—it resists as a social organization while exposing issues such as racism, sexism, real estate speculation, and socio-spatial segregation.

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In Mexico, the practice of self-construction remains a divisive topic within the architectural community, with proponents both for and against a practice that is highly conventional and widespread throughout the country. However, though far from a consensus among construction professionals, autonomous building processes are an undeniable reality driven by economic, cultural, and social conditions—a phenomenon that knows no borders. With this in mind, over the last few years, architects have launched a series of initiatives aimed at developing and providing informative materials, support guides, and manuals for self-construction, addressing safety and well-being, and ultimately bringing to light a practice that is increasingly difficult to ignore.

The composition of interior spaces is essential to human well-being. During the Covid-19 pandemic, this topic gained even greater prominence, as the design of indoor environments—beyond being aesthetically pleasing—can also help prevent disease and directly influence how we feel.

When considering the history of occupation in the city of São Paulo and the pursuit of a universal, democratic urban planning, understanding the role and movement of women in the urban context—particularly on the city's periphery—becomes essential. Here, we look at the Jardim Damasceno neighborhood and its spaces in motion—the stairways—to understand how these bodies express themselves in this context, their actions and transformations, and how gender is perceived by them. 

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Located at the intersection of Nove de Julho and São Gabriel (formerly Flora) avenues and Groelândia Street, between the neighborhoods of Jardim América and Itaim-Bibi, this complex, with its three twelve-story buildings, became a prominent landmark on one of the most important corridors connecting downtown São Paulo to the city's southern zone.

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When was the last time you walked through a market without being conscious of people walking nearby, or took a stroll in your neighborhood park without worrying about the hygiene of your surroundings?

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill. Even though residents in many places have already spent long periods locked down at home, we are still adapting to this new normal, working to reshape how we interact with others and with outdoor public spaces.

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Frequently used in wet areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens, as well as outdoor spaces like plazas and sidewalks, cement tiles are increasingly being incorporated into other rooms in interior design projects. This is due not only to their beauty, but also to their ability to adapt to the specific demands of different uses, along with practical benefits like easy cleaning.

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The 2018 discovery of nine skeletal remains in São Paulo's current Liberdade neighborhood brought to light physical evidence of the city's first public necropolis, the Cemitério dos Aflitos (Cemetery of the Afflicted), also known as the Cemitério dos Enforcados (Cemetery of the Hanged). According to municipal archival documents, between 1775 and 1858, the cemetery was primarily the final resting place for the marginalized: enslaved Black men and women, the poor, the destitute, and those condemned to the gallows. While the Cemitério dos Aflitos was a scattered territory of those cast out of São Paulo society, the Irmandade do Rosário (Sisterhood of the Rosary), founded in 1720, was established as a demarcated Black territory in the city, where enslaved, freed, and free people lived together, held funerals, celebrated festivals, and practiced religious devotions, "when this segment of São Paulo's population would burst onto the streets together, with their characteristic attire, adornments, and sounds" (WISSENBACH, 1988: 206-7).

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Although the urban fabric of Buenos Aires is characterized by a heterogeneous and constantly changing morphological condition, within the range of low-density housing, it is possible to detect certain recurring typologies that emerged from the interplay of successive historical variables—such as block subdivision strategies, urban regulations and their subsequent updates, or the building traditions of those who built the city. One of these identifiable typologies is the PH, whose name derives from *Propiedad Horizontal* (Horizontal Property), a regulation that allowed the development of individual homes within a single plot.

Considered one of the world's oldest construction techniques, structural masonry in Brazil was first used during the colonial period with stone, adobe, and rammed earth. Since then, the method has evolved, finding renewed viability through contemporary materials such as modular concrete blocks or load-bearing ceramic blocks. 

In this construction method, where the structure and enclosure are built simultaneously, columns and beams are unnecessary. Consequently, the walls serve a dual purpose: they define the spaces while functioning as the load-bearing structure of the building.

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