6 female architects who are highlights in Brazilian sustainable construction

When we talk about sustainable architecture in Brazil , many names stand out: whether for the use of construction techniques, renewable materials, projects integrated with the environment or professionals who specialize in environmental certifications. To mark World Environment Day , CASACOR selected six architects who work in the country and stand out for combining architecture with sustainability. Check it out! - Ester Carro is an architect and urban activist, with a master’s degree in Design, Production and Management of Urban Space, a professor and researcher at the Women and Territory Center of the Cities Laboratory (Arq. Futuro and Insper) and a fellowship at Avenues São Paulo. But, in addition to all these titles, Ester is also a resident of Jardim Colombo, part of the Paraisópolis complex in São Paulo , and closely monitored the land called Fazendinha, a sloping area of about 1000 m² that served as a garbage and rubble dump. their concern about the problem, combined with the fact that the community's residents do not have any leisure area, gave rise to the Fazendinhando project , which focuses not only on removing waste and debris from the site, but also on transforming the land into a park – a space common to be enjoyed by the community.

In 2020, Fazendinhando , together with architect Veronica Vacaro and the architecture studio Plantar Ideias , participated in the Janelas CASACOR São Paulo project with the Fazendinhando Gallery : a container at the entrance to Jardim Colombo that functions as an art gallery and stage for workshops. and lectures on issues of sustainability, social responsibility, health and empowerment of minority groups. As the project is permanent, it was not dismantled at the end of the exhibition and today functions as a cultural center for residents of the region. A reference in current Brazilian architecture abroad, Carla Juaçaba has a career full of recognition: her final project for her Architecture degree at the Santa Úrsula University received the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional award in 2000. The project was called " A Church in Rio ". Coincidence or not, in 2018, Carla was invited to design another church, but this time, at the Venice Architecture Biennale : the chapel was commissioned by the Vatican to be of an ephemeral nature, but, at the end of the event, the organization announced that the projects would remain in the city permanently - the stainless steel structure integrates with nature and water without interfering with the original vegetation.

Another important temporary construction in his career was the 2012 Humanity Pavilion : the building for Rio+20 , the UN conference on sustainable development, was conceived as a large scaffolding - five structural walls exposed to the open air create a suspended walkway. All the material used was recycled. Among his residential projects, the highlight is Casa Santa Teresa , built in an environmentally protected area where no trees were allowed to be removed. AndCasa Rio Bonito , located in the mountains of Nova Friburgo (RJ) and characterized by two 1.10 m thick stone walls that support the roof and floor beams, raising the house off the ground.

At Janelas CASACOR São Paulo 2020 , Gera Brasil participated in the Healthy Eating Community Kitchen project Sacolão Freguesia do Ó , signed by the FAU+D Acolhe program, from the Mackenzie Presbyterian University (UPM), coordinated by professor Rodrigo Loeb. The container with a kitchen community used sustainable and technological materials and its external area was covered by a bamboo structure. Adriana Levisky , founder of the Levisky Arquitetos office in São Paulo, graduated from FAU-USP and worked as an intern for Lina Bo Bardi - she even collaborated on the route of Lina's traveling exhibition around Europe. Here in Brazil, In addition to the office's projects, he has also taught at several universities and is a confirmed name for UIA 2021 RIO . He has been working for 30 years to bring together the public and private spheres, and his office is recognized for its work focused on the requalification of public spaces, valorization urban development and improving the quality of life in metropolitan areas. Adriana was responsible for projects for hospitals, teaching and research centers, and open-air squares and museums.

In Victor Civita Square , given the high impact of soil decontamination, the office designed a large suspended wooden deck, with spaces for visitors to walk and stay. The Open Museum of Sustainability is also located there, providing explanations about the solutions given to the problems of the area, and also a permanent exhibition inside the building, an old incinerator, to teach the history of the rehabilitation of the space. In the SABESP Mooca, Butantã and Cangaíba reservoirs, the proposal was to create three parks that would allow a dialogue between the visitors and supply activities, in addition to revitalizing operational buildings for asset protection. Born in Ukraine , in her extensive travels and research around the world, Irina Biletska learned and shared about organic architecture, permaculture, bioconstruction and co-creation of projects. Since 2011, she has lived in Brazil and today her office is in Serra Grande (BA). He has completed more than 20 projects integrating various techniques of raw earth, bamboo, green roofs and sustainable engineering systems. He has signed projects in Brazil, Ukraine, Turkey, Mexico and Argentina.

In the School Project , located in Saquaira, Marau Peninsula (BA), the spaces were designed to serve the pedagogical processes and their demands for integration with the agroforestry, vegetable gardens and kitchen, in addition to the multifunctional rooms. About 95% of the clay The material used was purchased on the land and a factory for the production of soil-cement bricks was built on site. Students collected more than 50 thousand glass bottles, which were reused in the subfloor of the classrooms – which meant a considerable contribution to the reduction of waste in the community and promoted broad awareness of the issue of solid waste. Bia Gadia 's experience in sustainable construction comes - literally - from her home: Gadia House , built in Barretos (SP), is part of the pilot project of GBC Brasil – Referencial Casa, and was awarded, in 2014, at the 1st Prêmio Saint-Gobain – Sustainable Habitat, having received, in 2020, an HBC – EPE-A certification. The professional sought to follow all the requirements for a sustainable building, since its implementation, such as the EPS Styrofoam construction method, rational use of water , energy, materials and resources, in addition to factors such as acoustic quality, environmental psychology and well-being.

The architect has also worked for 20 years with Scenography and Hospital Architecture , using, among other techniques, neuroarchitecture , biophilia , fengshui and chromotherapy . For her, good architecture plays a crucial role in the health of the population, since we spend 90% of our time in closed environments. "There are studies that prove that good architecture promotes well-being, comfort and productivity. In schools, good architecture even influences the improvement of tests; in hospitals, patients are discharged earlier; in offices, there is the increased productivity. The environment has an important influence on our lives and, often, for external and personal reasons, we have to live in environments that were not built with health and well-being in mind", he explains on his official website .