Taking Cues from Japanese Architecture, These Designs Come From Brazil

Androsky Lugo
4 min readSep 19, 2022

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Japanese architecture is a major inspiration for designers in Brazil. Japanese architects are noted for their minimalist style, which is characterized by the use of simple forms, vivid colors, and straight lines. Contrarily, Brazilian architects place a premium on elaborate ornamentation and a concentration on the minute. Some destiny of architecture have been incorporated into Brazilian construction due to the challenging environmental circumstances that structures in Brazil frequently encounter.

The state capitol buildings of numerous Brazilian states include styles inspired by traditional Japanese architecture. For instance, the Japanese Pavilion in Sao Paulo was a gift from the Japanese government and the Nipo-Brazilian community and was constructed in traditional Japanese style. The edifice continues to represent the unique bond between Japan and Brazil even today.

The Brazilian government commissioned the construction of landmark buildings that would symbolize the nation’s progressive newfound consciousness during this period. Office complexes, churches, pavilions, housing developments, and even entire neighborhoods were all designed in this new architectural style. The Metropolitana Cathedral and the Copacabana Boardwalk in Rio de Janeiro are two famous examples of this architecture.

In Brazil’s Recife, where he worked on his first commissioned garden, he was eventually hired as the city’s parks director. He collaborated with Oscar Niemeyer and other architects in planning and designing Brasilia, Brazil’s brand-new capital. The architect’s sketches featured intricate patterns and beautiful plants.

Brazilian Modern: The Living Art of Roberto Burle Marx is now on display at the New York Botanical Garden. Extensive original drawings and sketches by the artist are included. Tourists to the exhibit will be so impressed by his tiles that they will want to try making their own versions.

Brazilian architecture was greatly influenced by Burle Marx. The inclusion of tropical vegetation was a common theme in his work. His biomorphic landscapes, which often included vibrant abstract shapes and forms, were the product of his keen eye for seeing plants as structural components. The explorer’s garden is a place for people to learn about burle marx’s usage of plants from all over the world in his landscaping projects.

Burle Marx, the son of Wilhelm Marx and Maria Cecilia Burle, was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. When he was young, his family relocated to Rio de Janeiro’s Leme district. He began exploring the intersection of garden and building design in 1913. Rio de Janeiro’s Escola Nacional de Belas Artes welcomed him in 1926. In 1928, he uprooted his life and headed to Berlin, Germany to further his education.

Brasilia, Brazil’s capital, was designed by Oscar Niemeyer. The Brazilian government’s current home, the National Congress, was designed by Niemeyer in 1958. This building has a modern look with its curved shapes and straight lines and its two towers in the middle. The United Nations headquarters in New York City and the presidential palace in Brazil’s capital city of Brasilia were both designed by Niemeyer.

The Ministry of Education and Public Health in Rio de Janeiro, Niemeyer’s first big masterpiece, was completed in 1943. He worked with architect and consultant Le Corbusier on the structure. The building’s primary components, such as the curtain wall, were designed by Niemeyer. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) praised the building when it was finished since it was the first structure to use a curtain wall.

Many Brazilian styles are inspired by Japanese architecture, yet only a select number can be traced back to Brazil. The city of Sao Paulo is home to more Japanese people than anywhere else in the world, making this structure something of a cultural embassy for Japan. The first obstacle was the transformation of the bank into the cultural center. A cultural legacy of Japanese design is reflected in the resultant composition’s twisted and shapeless perimeter.

While the aesthetics of Brazilian and Japanese architecture are different, the two countries actually speak the same design language. Architects in Japan and Brazil drew ideas from Europe and Asia’s traditional styles. Simplicity and minimalism are also valued highly in both countries. The front plane of the structure, which is directly opposite Avenida Paulista, is covered in slats of wood that have been arranged in a variety of directions.

BACCO Arquitetos, a Brazilian architectural firm, has created a series of Japanese-style homes that can be found all across Brazil. In the Brazilian city of Curitiba, for instance, a new residential complex will include a Japanese-style teahouse in the restaurant’s entryway. The neighborhood in this plan is gated and has broad grassy streets that lead to the ocean. Construction of the brand-new Belo Horizonte International Airport is another major contract the company has recently inked. The redevelopment of the IESB campus in Curitiba entails building a new L-shaped complex with a spacious entry area and a brand-new academic allee. There will be public and student-use amenities on the new campus.

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Androsky Lugo

CEO and Founder Androsky Lugo currently stands as the founding partner for the Framing Futures Architectural Firm (FFAF) in Southern California, since 2019.