History in style

The early architecture of Brazil finds its identity in Europe, especially Portugal, which goes back 500 years. Portuguese, during their colonization, brought this capsule of architectural lore, that framed the foundation of today’s Brazilian architecture. With colonization and with a fusion of its indigenous style - Brazil found its new identity with the mix of colonial essence as it looks in its traces. 19th century Brazil embraced new European trends and adopted Neoclassical with Gothic Revival architecture, which formed the basis of its progressive philosophy and openness to modernist ideas. With the advent of the 20th century, Brazil experimented with Modernist architecture, especially in Brasilia. Which became the home for the most revered architectural marvels.

The architecture history of Brazil resonates uniquely with the architectural trends of the modern era throughout the world.

Journey to the world capital of Architecture

And with such a diverse yet consistently progressive history, UNESCO has named a city in Brazil as the World Capital of Architecture for 2020. As UNESCO, declares Rio De Janeiro with this significant title, they quote “World Capital of Architecture, Rio is intended to become an international forum to discuss pressing global challenges from the perspectives of culture, cultural heritage, urban planning and architecture.”

The premise of the architecture competition 

Architects are not endowed with designing just buildings but with time, they are now building ecosystems. This expanded role of architecture is becoming more and more evident with the passing century, where the profession found itself from making enclosures for functions to defining how the functions would be.

As we enter into 2020, these changing definitions are becoming more noticeable. As architecture evolves these themes continuously shift with amazing trails behind. And this, in the context of the South American subcontinent looks more real than ever.

Framing the world capital architecture as a place of dialogue, the time to build architecture for architecture is now. The word “Athenaeum” in the 21st century should be more than just a space for learning. This one of a kind endeavour of Architecture for Architecture should disseminate the past and its links to the current architectural trends, which shall have a way to the future of world architecture ideologies.

Design Athenaeum

Brief: The competition challenge here is to design an Athenaeum for Architecture at Rio De Janeiro, that resonates with the evolving trends of world architecture. The users of this Athenaeum would not be just architects or from a certain educational background, but for people and designers at large. The place is not dedicated just to the built environments, but to the architects of ideas and concepts that led to this place, inspiring more people to know about the hidden lines between architecture.

Objectives

• Curate content: Your challenge is to frame the various themes of how the Athenaeum of World Architecture and its evolving patterns are presented. The programme should also have various activities associated with learning and leisure.
• Craft experience: Once curated, the next step of the challenge is to craft how this journey or the message of architectural evolution is conveyed to people and designers from all around the world who would be visiting this place.
• Create form: The final part of the challenge is to give a form to this experience crafted from the contents you have created for the Athenaeum. This can be springing from either the Brazilian fabric of Architecture or your interpretations from the world.

The purpose of the Athenaeum is to act as a gateway for the old and new, a vault of knowledge and ideas that initiate dialogue for the future of architectural philosophies of the world. The objectives of the Athenaeum are a point of beginning to the design, participants are free to experiment with their design on basis of this. 

Site

 

Rio de Janeiro is a city of sights and sounds. As diverse as its people is the collection of impressive architecture found in Brazil’s second most populous city—from Eurocentric historical architecture to 20th-century regionalist modern marvels, not to mention the city’s growing crop of contemporary cultural venues.

The combination of mountainous terrain, lush rainforest, and the ocean inspires many to create lively and unique architecture. Home to over six million people, living in neighbourhoods coming from various economic - cultural diversity, an Athenaeum will multiple and support this diversty. 

The site is located on the coastal face of the Flamengo precinct, in Rio De Janeiro. The site is surrounded by various parks and beaches that have a clear view of the place, making it possible for the general public to discover the Athenaeum and be a part of it. The parking for the site is shared with the common parking next to the restaurant. Considering the site is waterborne, the participants will also have to mitigate the flooding risks on the site as well.

Explore the next edition of Athenaeum :