DAILY SHOW

Grace Dube on São Paulo with Amélia Brandão Costa, Rodrigo da Costa Lima, and Surry Schlabs

After a twenty-hour travel day involving a delayed flight from Boston, we finally arrived in São Paulo, Brazil, ready for a week off of Midjourney to immerse ourselves in the life and culture of South America’s largest metropolis. On the itinerary were private residences, institutional buildings, and public spaces that showcase the theatrical quality of the city’s architecture and urban life. While the raw concrete and monumental forms of brutalist architecture might not typically be associated with positivity and hope, “Optimism and Joy” was the theme for the week as we delighted in the wonderful works of Paulo Mendes da Rocha and his teacher, Vilanova Artigas, as well as Lina Bo Bardi, Oscar Niemeyer, and many, many more.

Sites + Souvenirs:

@ Casa Bola: autographs from Eduardo Longo, the visionary architect who shared his metabolist-inspired aspirations of populating the city’s roofscape with more balls
@ Teatro Oficina: fourteen tickets to a very immersive performance gave us all the chance to become a part of a true “daily show”
@ USP’s Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism: debates over whether the glossy “caramel” floors were any match for our beloved paprika carpet (respectfully, Paul, you’ve got some competition)
@ Edificio Copan: a serendipitous run-in with the structural engineer leading its current rehabilitation, but also a stolen phone and a fire
@ Morumbi: sketches from Marcos Acayaba’s homes, which absolutely stunned us with their elegantly engineered structures and lush landscapes

At the end of six days spent in some of the most incredible spaces, fueled by all the pão de queijo and caipirinhas, we were ready to say “Ciao, Obrigada!” to our hosts and to the beautiful, complex, vibrant city of São Paulo.