Brazil's pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia presents a groundbreaking curatorial project titled "(RE)INVENTION," which examines recent archaeological discoveries of ancestral infrastructures in the Amazon territory. The installation, designed by Plano Coletivo and occupying 140 square meters, challenges contemporary urban development by questioning socio-environmental conditions through the lens of indigenous knowledge and ancient construction methods.
The exhibition is curated by Susanna Moreira and led by architects Luciana Saboia from FAU-UnB, Eder Alencar from ARQBR, and Matheus Seco from BLOCO Arquitetos. The curatorial team brings together diverse expertise from leading Brazilian architectural institutions, creating a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the relationship between historical infrastructure and modern urban challenges.
Structured in two acts, (RE)INVENTION constructs a narrative that traverses both time and territories, connecting ancient Amazonian civilizations with contemporary architectural practice. The installation draws from recent archaeological findings that have revealed sophisticated infrastructure systems developed by indigenous populations centuries before European colonization, offering alternative models for sustainable urban development.
The project involved extensive collaboration, with team members including André Velloso from ARQBR, Carolina Pescatori from FAU-UnB, Cauê Capillé from FAU-UFRJ, Daniel Mangabeira from BLOCO Arquitetos, Guilherme Lassance from FAU-UFRJ, Henrique Coutinho from BLOCO Arquitetos, and Sérgio Marques from FAU-UFRGS. The local execution in Italy was managed by architect Eiletz Ortigas, with installation work carried out by Creative Up Interiors.
The technical aspects of the pavilion were supported by Maratá Engenharia for structural calculations, while the executive project team included Mariana Castro and Victor Itonaga. Content production was handled by an extensive team of researchers and designers, including Carolina Guida, Isadora Furtado, Isaac Alencar, Jéssica Duarte, João Magnus, Leonardo Nóbrega, Lucas Bandeira, Lucas Freitas, Lucas Marques, Luíza Ceruti, Marcela Peres, Paulo Honorato, Pedro Cardoso, and Victor Suarez. Visual programming for the exhibition panels was created by Lia Tostes.
Photographed by Federico Cairoli, the installation serves as a critical reflection on how ancient indigenous technologies and environmental knowledge can inform contemporary architectural solutions. The project positions Brazil as a leader in sustainable design thinking, drawing from its rich cultural heritage to address current urban challenges and environmental concerns.
Completed in 2025, the pavilion represents a significant contribution to international architectural discourse, demonstrating how historical research and archaeological discoveries can provide valuable insights for future urban development. The project underscores the importance of indigenous knowledge systems in creating more sustainable and environmentally conscious architectural practices for the 21st century.
