Access for All

As one of the worlds megacities, São Paulo has for decades seen an investment in architectural infrastructures that attempt to mitigate its open space shortages as well as fulfill the constant need for recreational, cultural, and sports programs. These buildings and open spaces - which can be public, semi-public, or privately-owned - arguably attempt to create inclusive places for urban society. This exhibition catalogue presents projects at different scales, focusing on their programmatic characteristics rather than the formal qualities usually emphasized in scholarship on Brazilian architecture. While many cities around the world are still chasing the so-called "Bilbao Effect" - the creation of a monofunctional "signature" architectural work by a famous architect that can attract tourism - this exhibition catalogue advocates for architectural infrastructure that adds programs of different natures, and that are aimed at social sustainability for local citizens. This aspect of urban growth in São Paulo - quite a vertical and densely-populated city; a city of great resources and also tremendous poverty; a city with high crime rates; a city with severe traffic issues; a city with public-health problems - illustrates how architecture and infrastructure can contribute to a city's urban development in multiple ways.