DAY 26 (2 OF 4) – The X ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
Knowing that we would be visiting Sao Paulo at the time of the architecture biennale was a delightful surprise when we planned our trip. After visiting two smaller biennale exhibitions at the SESC and MASP, today we spent the afternoon at the Cultural Centro Sao Paulo (CCSP), one of the bigger biennale venues. When we entered the cultural centre, we were delighted to find that CCSP itself has its own merits architecturally. Designed by Eurico Lopes and Luiz Telles, the CCSP is famous for its prominent structural system and the impressive ramps in the main hall. Located on three levels of exhibition spaces, we took our time checking out some of the interesting projects on display for the X Architecture Biennale Sao Paulo. Other than the visitors of the biennale, there were also people engaged in different activities throughout the complex: street dancing at the foyer, ballet rehearsal in an open studio, chess tournament at the covered plaza, studying and reading in the library, resting on the roof-top patio, etc. 
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Read other posts on Sao Paulo, Brazil
Day 25.1 – SESC Pompeia, Sao Paulo
Day 25.2 – Liberdade, Sao Paulo
Day 26.1 – MASP, Sao Paulo
Day 26.2 – the X Architecture Biennale, Sao Paulo
Day 26.3 – Zombie Attack, Sao Paulo
Day 26.4 – Luz Station and Area, Sao Paulo
Day 27.1 – Farewell Sao Paulo, Goodbye Brazil
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South America 2013 – Our Destinations
Buenos Aires (Argentina), Iguazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil), Pantanal (Brazil), Brasilia (Brazil), Belo Horizonte & Inhotim (Brazil), Ouro Preto (Brazil), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Paraty (Brazil), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Samaipata & Santa Cruz (Bolivia), Sucre (Bolivia), Potosi (Bolivia), Southwest Circuit (Bolivia), Tilcara, Purmamarca, Salta (Argentina), Cafayate (Argentina), San Pedro de Atacama (Chile), Antofagasta & Paranal Observatory (Chile), Chiloe (Chile), Puerto Varas (Chile), Torres del Paine (Chile), Ushuaia (Argentina), El Chalten (Argentina), El Calafate (Argentina), Isla Magdalena (Argentina), Santiago (Chile), Valparaiso (Chile), Afterthought
DAY 25 (1 OF 2) – SESC POMPEIA, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
It was already mid afternoon when we arrived in Sao Paulo. Seeing architecture would be our main focus for our short stay in the city. Our first destination was SESC Pompeia (Servico Social do Comercio of Pompeia in Sao Paulo).
The SESC Pompeia is a cultural centre located in a residential neighbourhood near the metro station of Barra Funda. Designed by the renowned architect Lina Bo Bardi in early 1980s, the project is a successful example of a multi-functional architectural complex. In contrast to the monumental buildings in Brasilia or the playful architecture in Rio de Janeiro, many projects in Sao Paulo are social oriented. The project involves transformation of a number of historical buildings into cultural spaces, and an addition of sports tower with a modernist concrete tower and multiple expressive sky bridges. Functionally, the complex offers a diverse program to the local community, from theatrical performances, cultural exhibitions, library, reading rooms, event spaces, cafeteria, to an indoor swimming pool and a number of indoor football courts. All cultural spaces are housed in the adaptive reused historical buildings, while the sport facilities are stacked in the new concrete tower.
When we were there, SESC Pompeia was filled with people at all ages engaging in various activities: dining at the outdoor patio, reading in the library, checking out the cultural exhibitions, going to the gym and swimming pool, etc. We even saw a group of artists doing some filming, and a group of technicians preparing a banner on one of the concrete sky bridges at the tower for the next cultural festival. The three current exhibitions at SESC were good introduction to the cultural scene of the city for both of us.
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Previos Destination: Paraty, Brazil, reading from post Day 23.1
Read other posts on Sao Paulo, Brazil
Day 25.1 – SESC Pompeia, Sao Paulo
Day 25.2 – Liberdade, Sao Paulo
Day 26.1 – MASP, Sao Paulo
Day 26.2 – the X Architecture Biennale, Sao Paulo
Day 26.3 – Zombie Attack, Sao Paulo
Day 26.4 – Luz Station and Area, Sao Paulo
Day 27.1 – Farewell Sao Paulo, Goodbye Brazil
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South America 2013 – Our Destinations
Buenos Aires (Argentina), Iguazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil), Pantanal (Brazil), Brasilia (Brazil), Belo Horizonte & Inhotim (Brazil), Ouro Preto (Brazil), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Paraty (Brazil), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Samaipata & Santa Cruz (Bolivia), Sucre (Bolivia), Potosi (Bolivia), Southwest Circuit (Bolivia), Tilcara, Purmamarca, Salta (Argentina), Cafayate (Argentina), San Pedro de Atacama (Chile), Antofagasta & Paranal Observatory (Chile), Chiloe (Chile), Puerto Varas (Chile), Torres del Paine (Chile), Ushuaia (Argentina), El Chalten (Argentina), El Calafate (Argentina), Isla Magdalena (Argentina), Santiago (Chile), Valparaiso (Chile), Afterthought
DAY 2 (3 of 4) – ARCHITECTURAL BIENNALE, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Conveniently held at the Recoleta Cultural Centre next to the Recoleta Cemetery, the Bienal Internacional de Arquitectura de BA introduced us to some recent projects in South America. Interesting displays include works by Peru’s Barclay Crousse, Switzerland’s Richter Dahl Rocha, and the South America Project (SAP), a design research network initiated by Felipe Correa and Ana Maria Duran Calisto, with the support of Harvard GSD, David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, and the Loeb Fellowship.
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Read other posts on Buenos Aires, Argentina
1. South America 2013
2. Journey Begins
Day 1.1 – San Telmo Loft, Buenos Aires
Day 1.2 – First Walk in Buenos Aires
Day 2.1 – Morning Stroll in San Telmo, Buenos Aires
Day 2.2 – Cementer de la Recoleta, Buenos Aires
Day 2.3 – Architectural Bennale, Buenos Aires
Day 2.4 – El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires
Day 3.1 – Don Julio Parrillas, Buenos Aires
Day 3.2 – Palermo Soho, Buenos Aires
Day 3.3 – Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires
Day 4.1 – Malba, Buenos Aires
Day 4.2 – Chan Chan Peruvian Restaurnant, Buenos Aires
Day 4.3 – Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires
Day 5.1 – Pasaje Defensa, Buenos Aires
Day 5.2 – Buseo de Arte Moderno, Buenos Aires
Day 5.3 – Cafe San Juan, Buenos Aires
Day 5.4 – Cementerio de la Recoleta (2nd Visit), Buenos Aires
Day 5.5 – Dylan Ice-cream Parlour, Buenos Aires
Next Destination: Puerto Iguazu, Argentina
Continuing on our journey from post Day 6.1
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South America 2013 – Our Destinations
Buenos Aires (Argentina), Iguazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil), Pantanal (Brazil), Brasilia (Brazil), Belo Horizonte & Inhotim (Brazil), Ouro Preto (Brazil), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Paraty (Brazil), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Samaipata & Santa Cruz (Bolivia), Sucre (Bolivia), Potosi (Bolivia), Southwest Circuit (Bolivia), Tilcara, Purmamarca, Salta (Argentina), Cafayate (Argentina), San Pedro de Atacama (Chile), Antofagasta & Paranal Observatory (Chile), Chiloe (Chile), Puerto Varas (Chile), Torres del Paine (Chile), Ushuaia (Argentina), El Chalten (Argentina), El Calafate (Argentina), Isla Magdalena (Argentina), Santiago (Chile), Valparaiso (Chile), Afterthought
Blue Lapis Road 