I spoke with Brazil’s curator at the Venice Architecture Biennale. In the interview published in seLecT magazine, he discusses the relationships between cultural heritage and urban planning, the Historical Circuit of African Heritage in Rio de Janeiro, and previews highlights of the Brazilian pavilion.
The best city is the one that exists
Architect Washington Fajardo, 43, president of Instituto Rio Patrimônio da Humanidade and a leading figure in the Porto Maravilha project, is the curator of the Brazilian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale, which opens May 25. In this exclusive interview with seLecT, Fajardo acknowledges the achievements and weaknesses of efforts to revitalize the cultural heritage of Rio’s port area. Eloquent and articulate, he stresses: “The best city is the city that exists. That is where the solutions to our problems are. Major urban centers have potential for much more than social housing. They have the potential for us to be together in public space.”
What is Brazil’s project for the Venice Architecture Biennale?