The 14th International Architecture Biennale of São Paulo, held under the theme “Extremes”, addresses the current climate crisis in urban environments. The event aligns with the lead-up to COP 30 in Belém this November, and encourages public debate on climate change.
This edition welcomes the participation of the renowned British architect Jane Hall, founding member of Assemble, a British architectural collective awarded the Turner Prize. Hall leads a biomaterials workshop at Ibirapuera Park, guiding participants through the exploration of the environment and the creation of aesthetic objects using collected materials.
The Biennial also features a wide range of activities stemming from the Brazil–UK partnership. Among them are the exhibitions Climate Forum; Trees AI | Location-based scoring platform; Estudos de produção: TF/TK e o modelo reduzido; and SHAPES: Structural Heat Adaptations & Education in urban and rural Pakistan. In addition, the experimental construction Woven breathing façade: hygroscopic responsive textile architecture, also developed by British architects.
This year, all workshops, exhibitions, competitions, and debate forums are centred on environmental issues, structured around five main themes: preserving forests and reforesting cities; living with water; retrofitting and building green; fostering shared access to renewable energies; and ensuring climate justice and social housing. In this context, the event blends scientific and technological knowledge with traditional and local expertise.
A practical example of this approach is found in the biomaterials mini workshops led by the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED). These 30-minute sessions allow the public to experiment with transforming organic waste – such as coffee grounds, wood sawdust, eggshells, and fruit peels – into new material forms. All of this is tied to the political and socio-environmental debate embedded in this type of design.
Event partners:
Activities
- Registration for the biomaterials mini-workshops
- Exhibition - Climate Forum
- Exhibition - Trees AI | Location-based scoring platform
- Exhibition - Estudos de produção: TF/TK e o modelo reduzido
- Exhibition - SHAPES: Structural Heat Adaptations & Education in urban and rural Pakistan
- Experimental constructions: Woven breathing façade: hygroscopic responsive textile architecture