Brazil Living

As global architecture pivots toward passive cooling and local authenticity, Brazil Living takes you deeper into the residences and interiors of “new tropicalism”. This survey explores a tradition where form follows climate, offering radical solutions for contemporary living. Brazilian Modernism – pioneered by Lúcio Costa, Oscar Niemeyer, and Lina Bo Bardi – was born from adapting European ideals to tropical realities. A cornerstone of this movement is landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx.

His 1949 Sítio Burle Marx in Rio de Janeiro (UNESCO World Heritage Site, 2021) revolutionised design by integrating flora as a structural element, creating a living laboratory where nature and architecture are inseparable. The featured projects prioritise passive strategies: muxarabis (latticework) for ventilation, local materials like stone and reclaimed wood, and fluid layouts that dissolve indoor-outdoor boundaries. From off-grid cabanas in Paraty to radical urban renovations in São Paulo, Brazil Living proves that true innovation thrives within climatic constraints. The book releases this month internationally on gestalten.com.