My point of view:
on Architecture and Travel

Interview Date: 23-06-2011

What is the importance of architectural tourism?

Architecture and tourism are related to each other. I think sometimes they are very connected because if you want to be a good tourist you have to go to nice places with nice architecture, not only architectural buildings but also landscape architecture. So I think they are very connected.

As humans, we can expand our minds, our horizons and meet new people, other cultures. As architects, we use travelling either for getting reference or inspiration from other cultures.

What do you think is the added value that architecture creates within a city?

I think architecture is the most important value for a city. There are cities that are created from the beginning by architects and they are very comfortable for people. The other cities, also called as the antique cities with new architects are more comfortable in arranging places for people. Architecture is designed for people and cities are designed for people so I think they are connected.

The World Architecture Festival is a very good example of an architectural event that is hosted by a big city. We are here for three days with architects from all over the world, exchanging experiences. These kinds of events are very important even for the greatest architects, who have the chance to learn even more.

Brazilian architecture has some particularities but it’s universal. We have modern architecture, we have antique architecture. But we still have one problem in Brazil about architecture: the constructors and the customer, the people that buy those apartments and houses are making a mistake because we still have much neoclassic architecture that is not pretty and not useful. But, the architects in Brazil are fighting against this phenomenon because it’s not architecture, its constructors’ stuff. Constructors think that this kind of architecture is most common between the upper classes but personally, I think that they buy this because they don’t have other offers. So, now we are offering different architecture on housing but we still have great architecture in Brazil.

Is critical regionalism an approach to modern Brazilian architecture?

I don’t think we have a real regionalism in Brazilian architecture. Architecture in Brazil has a special meaning about local people that are multicultural, without borders. Brazil is a continental country, very big, with different people living in the country. So, we have different kinds of directions in architecture. And today, here in WAF, we have six presentations from Brazil and they are very different.

Is the world financial crisis an opportunity fro everyone to reconsider the ways we design and construct in the urban environment?

In Brazil we passed the financial crisis because the country is growing fast today, especially after we undertook the Olympics. This fact can change a country, we have been preparing for the configurations cup for three years. In general, the timing is good for us today. We have the crisis, so we have international architects and producers going to Brazil and importing technology cheaper.

Can an architecture magazine influence ordinary people not architects to deal with architecture and demand better urban environment?

We have one magazine, Finestra that is only for professionals. So this kind of magazine I don’t think it should influence ordinary people because they don’t understand this language, this technique, these numbers and calculations. But the other one, the one we are not representing today and it’s called Alquatrado, is a magazine made for this staff. We discuss the architecture, people that make architecture and how this can influence people and cities. So this kind of magazine can influence, we hope. We have two examples in Sao Paolo that great architects made benefits from favellas. So in our paper we have to make articles for this staff and show these things to people.

It’s a difficult decision. In Brazil, we have Brasilia, the whole city, not only a building. It’s a special kind of architecture and not everyone likes that, but it’s important that it exists. In Australia, I would pick the Opera of Sydney.

Also, the Sears Tower in Chicago.

Here in Barcelona, the whole city is very interesting, the antique and the new architecture. Dubai is another example where we have new experiences but it’s discussable because it has huge architecture.

The stadiums in Africa are good examples on how architecture can be part of cities and communities. And going back to Brazil, we have buildings for Huyataki. I specify one; Hotel Unique that is different architecture, great, iconic and it’s good for people. The Brazilian Museum of Sculpture is also a great place.

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