Earth – building a sustainable and democratic future

Alain Briatte, Anaïs Guéguen-Perrin, Argus Caruso, Francisco Barros, MST representative

The combination of experiences and construction techniques around the world is making earthen houses increasingly economical, sustainable and beautiful!

These techniques and research are spread throughout the world. Here we have a glimpse of France, which, through Craterre/ENSAG, has a postgraduate program dedicated exclusively to earthen architecture and construction. A glimpse of other parts of the world, including Africa, our sister continent, where several techniques originated and blended with many others already used by the indigenous peoples of Brazil.

The contemporary Brazilian works on display here demonstrate the versatility of land use. The MST (Municipal Workers' Movement) mobilizes collective efforts to build earthen buildings in settlements. And some residences help break some of the paradigms still prevalent in Brazil. The houses can be high-end or nondescript, simply appropriate to their context. In short, earth is everywhere, being used in a wide variety of ways.

We've come together here to spread this knowledge as much as possible. There's no major industry interested in this topic, so there's no advertising. Land is almost always free. It's right under our feet. We're still few, but we're very confident in what we're doing. Not only is the house healthier, but we're emitting much less CO2 during and after construction. We, architects and builders, are extremely responsible for the planet's degradation. The construction industry is one of the largest contributors to the planet's CO2 emissions. It's up to us to decide which construction materials best suit the urgent need to change this situation.

Free

Registration

Registrations must be made here.
Registration will be open until the start of the activity, on site, as long as there are spaces available.

We thank everyone who participated and visited the 14th São Paulo International Architecture Biennial, from September 18 to October 19, 2025

NOTE OF CONDOLENCE

With deep sorrow, the Brazilian Institute of Architects – São Paulo Department (IABsp) mourns the passing of architect and landscape architect Kongjian Yu, a global leader in ecological urbanism, and the members of his team who accompanied him, tragically killed during the filming of a documentary. The institute is honored to have had him as a participant in the 14th São Paulo International Architecture Biennial, where his transformative vision strengthened the dialogue between global challenges and local realities. IABsp emphasizes that Yu's contribution, which transcends borders, will remain an inspiration for generations and expresses its condolences to China, to the families of all the deceased, to his friends, and to all those impacted by his genius and dedication. Read the full note here.