Joanna Helm

Brazilian architect and urbanist with a masters degree in habitational development from la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina). Joanna is the editor in chief of ArchDaily Brasil, where she manages the publication of editorial posts and projects in Portuguese.

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Serralves Museum Presents ‘Splitting, Cutting, Writing, Drawing, Eating… Gordon Matta-Clark’

Gordon Matta-Clark (1943-1978) is one of the most influential artists of the 1970s, whose work has continued to be a noted influence of both architects and visual artists since. SPLITTING, CUTTING, WRITING, DRAWING, EATING…GORDON MATTA-CLARK surveys the constructive and destructive verbs that defined his relation to art and architecture, featuring correspondence, drawings, photographs, notebooks, and films related to the artist's key projects, drawn from the archive of the Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal. Along with his major building cuts from 1973 to 1978, in which laboriously cut holes into floors of abandoned or disused buildings, including A W-Hole House, Conical Intersect, Day’s End, and Splitting (1974), the exhibition also explores his interest in metabolic and cooking processes, including his restaurant Food (1971); his play with language and the syntax of voids, gaps, and abandoned spaces; and the use of drawing as a mode of thinking through space.The exhibition will focus on these social and creative aspects of Matta-Clark´s conception of architecture, or as he put it, "making space without building it."

Projects by Alejandro Aravena and Carrilho da Graça Announced in Lisbon

Público published a report today that Chilean architect and 2016 Pritzker Prize Laureate Alejandro Aravena has been invited to design a project for the EDP (Energias de Portugal), complementing the Aires Mateus-designed Sede da EDP (EDP Headquarters) in Lisbon.

At the end of 2016 Portuguese architect João Luis Carrilho da Graça was invited to design a hotel to support the EDP's new facilities and refurbishment of its existing spaces. Carrilho da Graça is also responsible for the urban plan of the area in which the projects will be developed and built--the Zona da Boavista Nascente, between Santos and the Cais do Sodré

Italian Architect Leonardo Benevolo Passes Away Aged 93

Italian media have reported that Leonardo Benevolo, one of Italy's foremost architects, critics, and historians, passed away yesterday at his home in Brescia following a long illness. Benevolo was an enormously influential figure in the field of architectural history who was continuously examining the problems and possibilities of our cities.

His writings—in particular the book History of Modern Architecture—have been widely circulated, translated and taught, and contribute to his legacy as one of the profession's most distinguished architects and educators. 

Future Architecture Platform - CALL FOR IDEAS 2017

After a successful first cycle of activities in the initial year, Future Architecture platform launches a new call for ideas for all who wish to participate in the Future Architecture program cycle throughout Europe in 2017. The platform invites emerging creatives to apply with the ideas, visions and projects they consider important for the future of architecture. Applicants should articulate the relevance of their application to the future of architecture, whether as an architectural statement, a social practice, a business model, as new construction technique, as production of living space, or other subject, which the applicants consider to be inevitable or highly relevant to the debates on the future of architecture in Europe. All applications will be published on the website of the Future Architecture platform. By entering, each applicant is automatically added to the list of artists and professionals that may be invited to participate at exhibitions, conferences, lecture series, workshops and other events organized by the members of the platform.

Registrations are open for workshop Filming Architecture in Lisbon - December 2016

Filming architecture comes to Lisbon, Portugal! This is an academic itinerant workshop about architecture representation and narratives through cinematography, and will be part of the closing activities of the 2016 Lisbon Architecture Triennale. As the final product, students will produce a short movie filmed at a Museu dos Coches, a paradigmatic building designed by Paulo Mendes da Rocha and Ricardo Bak Gordon.

Lisbon Architecture Triennale - The Form of Form

We’re only one month away from the 2016 Lisbon Architecture Triennale, The Form of Form. Join us in Lisbon for the opening week from October 5 to 9, and enjoy a full programme that celebrates architecture’s fundamental principles.

Material Focus: Casa dos Caseiros by 24.7 Arquitetura

This article is part of our new series "Material in Focus", where we ask architects to share with us their creative process through the choice of materials that define important parts of the construction of their buildings.

Casa dos Caseiros was designed by architectural firm 24.7. The project is 70 meters square and was a private order for a large-scale social steel framed housing project to be built in some cities in the state of Rio de Janeiro. We talked with the architect Giuliano Pelaio to learn more about material choices and challenges of the project.

Brazil Announces Exhibition Theme for 2016 Venice Biennale

Responding to curator Alejandro Aravena's theme "Reporting from the front," the Fundação Bienal de São Paulo has selected Washington Fajardo to present an exhibition titled “JUNTOS.” The project for the Brazilian pavilion will highlight stories of people who have fought to achieve changes in institutional passivity in Brazil's big cities. They have created architecture within slow processes, bringing stable solutions in a politically tumultuous territory. According to the curator, “the exhibition is a composition of these pathways and partnerships, where activism meets architects and architecture, becoming a magnet in the preparation of a new space.”

Travel Diary: Álvaro Siza and Carlos Castanheira by Fernando Guerra

About one month ago, three major figures in Portuguese architecture - Pritzker Laureate Álvaro Siza, architect Carlos Castanheira and one of today’s most prominent architectural photographers, Fernando Guerra - began an uncommon adventure.

During 22 days the architects traveled through many Asian countries inaugurating buildings, visiting new projects and meeting other architects like Pritzker Laureate Whang Shu. At the end of their trip, the trio visited the "Shadow of light - a portrait of Álvaro Siza" exhibition opening and vernissage, in Macau, realized by Fernando Guerra.

We were able to follow this intimate journey through the images taken by Guerra and published every day in his Instagram – a careful, spontaneous and delicate photographic narrative that shows a little bit of what were these weeks with Siza and Castanheira were like. Back in Portugal, Fernando Guerra published an interesting report on those last weeks and generously shared with us both his writings and his beautiful pictures.

Read the text and enjoy Guerra's photographs after the break.

Fernando Guerra Captures Álvaro Siza’s First Project in China

We are excited to share these exclusive photos taken by Fernando Guerra | FG+SG of Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza’s first project in China: The Building on the Water.

Evoking the image of a dragon perched elegantly on water, the contours of the building seem to move gently in a perfect synergy between local symbolism and the subtle elements of Siza. Snaking around, the form escapes formal convention, emerging as an autonomous entity that contrasts with the orthogonal form of the factory complex. The delicate transition geometry of curves and bridges that connect the different spaces and pavements makes this project one of the most striking examples of Siza’s distinctive architecture. 

Through different shades, reflections and his unmatched composition of light and shadows, Fernando Guerra’s striking images show a poetic scene and the perfect relationship between the building and its environment. We can envision the changes and transitions that the white concrete building goes through as a result of its contact with the water throughout the day.

Read on after the break to see the exclusive images...

Alvaro Siza's Taifong Golf Club Opens in Changhua, Taiwan

Today, Pritzker Prize-winning architect Álvaro Siza and architect Carlos Castanheira will inaugurate the Taifong Golf Club, in Changhua, Taiwan.

The two Portuguese architects began the recently-completed project in 2009. The clubhouse includes spaces for recreational and cultural events and activities. The building demonstrates a rich relationship between the landscape and local culture.

Architects: Álvaro Siza and Carlos Castanheira
Local Partner | Project Management and Construction Supervision: Ho+Hou Studio Architects and Studio Base Architects
Images of the project—kindly shared with us by architecture photographer Fernando Guerra | FG+SG—can be seen after the break.

Alvaro Siza's Taifong Golf Club Opens in Changhua, Taiwan - Image 1 of 4Alvaro Siza's Taifong Golf Club Opens in Changhua, Taiwan - Image 2 of 4Alvaro Siza's Taifong Golf Club Opens in Changhua, Taiwan - Image 3 of 4Alvaro Siza's Taifong Golf Club Opens in Changhua, Taiwan - Image 4 of 4Alvaro Siza's Taifong Golf Club Opens in Changhua, Taiwan - More Images+ 67

World Photo Day: Fernando Guerra by Marcio Kogan

The architect and architectural photographer Fernanado Guerra the studio FG+SG with his brother Sérgio Guerra in Portugal co-founded 15 years ago. Nowadays they are responsible for most of the dissemination of Portuguese contemporary architecture.

Fernando's remarkable work is honored in our celebration of the World Photo Day through the words of renowed brazilian architect Marcio Kogan, from studiomk27.

World Photo Day: Fernando Guerra by Marcio Kogan - Image 1 of 4World Photo Day: Fernando Guerra by Marcio Kogan - Image 2 of 4World Photo Day: Fernando Guerra by Marcio Kogan - Image 3 of 4World Photo Day: Fernando Guerra by Marcio Kogan - Image 4 of 4World Photo Day: Fernando Guerra by Marcio Kogan - More Images

World Photo Day: Nelson Kon by Andrade Morettin Arquitetos Associados

Nelson Kon works with photography since 1985 and his passion can be appreciated through his images of contemporary buildings, heritage ensembles and urban scenes.

In celebration of World Photo Day (August 19th), we invited some architects to comment on the work of some of the best architectural photographers of our time. After the break, Vinicius Andrade speaks on the behalf of his studio, Andrade Morettin Arquitetos Associados, about brazilian photographer Nelson Kon.

Álvaro Siza Decides The Fate of His Archives

Update: CCA releases statement from Siza.

Earlier this week we announced that Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza was considering donating his archive to institutions outside of his home country of Portugal. Finally, after much discussion and speculation, Siza has arrived at a decision.

Siza will donate one part of the archive to two institutions in Portugal: the Fundação Gulbenkian in Lisbon and the Fundação de Serralves in Porto. The other part of the archive will be given to the Canadian Center for Architecture (CCA) in Montreal.

Photos of Álvaro Siza's Fundação Iberê Camargo, by Fernando Guerra

 “A painter is a magician that immobilizes time.”  - Iberê Camargo

The Fundação Iberê Camargo, which received a Golden Lion at the 2002 Venice Biennale of Architecture, is Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza's first project in Brazil. It serves as an architectural exemplar not only for the city of Porto Alegre, but also for the entire country of Brazil. Defined by Siza as "quasi-arquitecture" -- with careful explorations of light, texture, movement and space--the building cultivates a direct relationship between the viewer and the artwork, and, in turn, allows visitors to richly come into contact with Iberê's (one of the great names of twentieth-century Brazilian art) work.

"Architects don't invent anything, they just transform reality." - Álvaro Siza

The first in Brazil to use white concrete--seen around the entire exterior-- the building does not use any bricks. The visitor is guided through a trajectory of descent throughout the building via ramps in the nine exhibition halls. The monolith is supported by massive slabs, pillars and beams. No detail escaped the hands of the architect; the furniture and signage were also designed by Siza. 

Last week, the project was nominated as one of seven finalists in the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP). Now in its first edition, and with a distinguished jury (Francisco Liernur, Sarah Whiting, Wiel Arets, Dominique Perrault, e Kenneth Frampton), the MCHAP recognizes exceptional architecture built in the first 13 years of the 21st century.

With this news, we are presenting an extensive set of photos of this important project, realized and generously shared by one of the world's most important architecture photographers: Fernando Guerra of FG+SG - Últimas reportagens.

Story written by Joanna Helm for ArchDaily Brasil. Translated by Becky Quintal.

Scroll to see Guerra's beautiful images of the Fundação Iberê Camargo:

Inside Homeland, Portugal’s Pavilion at the US Biennale

 Inside Homeland, Portugal’s Pavilion at the US Biennale  - Featured Image
© Nico Saieh

The Portuguese Pavilion at the 14th edition of the Venice Biennale has created a newspaper, “, News from ,” which covers the last 100 years of architectural, social and economic news from .

Venice Biennale 2014: Pedro Gadanho Explains Why Portugal's Pavilion Has No Buildings At All

The following text by Pedro Gadanho was originally published in Portuguese in Portugal's Diário Expresso.

The most awaited event in the architecture world begins this week: the opening of the Venice Biennale. Thousands of participants, journalists, and invited guests will flood the fantastical Italian city to take the pulse of the discipline -the nations' representations, the novelties, the state of the art. For this, the 14th edition of the Biennale, the artistic direction of Rem Koolhaas has raised great expectations: the architect behind Casa da Música is, after all, the ultimate provocateur of an architectural stardom that's ever more predictable.

Aires Mateus Chosen to Design University of Architecture, Tournai

The prestigious Portuguese office Aires Mateus - formed by brothers Manuel and Francisco Aires Mateus - has won a competition to design the new headquarters of the University of Architecture in Tournai, Belgium.

More information on the project, after the break...