23 April 2026
Marcelo Ferraz launches a book on Lina Bo Bardi at the Casa Shop
Brazilian architect Marcelo Ferraz will launch his book Ao Lado de Lina on 23 April at 7.00 pm at the Casa da Arquitetura shop. The book revisits the career and thinking of the iconic architect Lina Bo Bardi (1914–1992), with whom he worked for over a decade.
The result of a collaboration that began in 1977, when Ferraz was still a student, the book brings together reflections, testimonies and projects developed over 15 years of working together, including landmark buildings such as the Sesc Pompeia in São Paulo.
More than a simple collection of texts, the publication offers a critical and contemporary reading of Lina Bo Bardi’s work, highlighting her political and social role in architecture. According to the author, the work also serves as a counterpoint to the architect’s current image, which is often ‘glamourised’ and marked by inaccurate interpretations. “‘Exaggerated’ in the sense of overflowing with misconceptions. I thought it might be interesting to share my reflections on how Lina acted politically in the world — in our case, through architecture,” says the author.
But the publication is not merely a collection of texts. Spanning 304 pages, the book weaves a narrative that brings to the present day reflections, testimonies, experiences and projects that marked the years of collaboration and friendship — such as the Casa do Benin, the Polytheama Theatre and the new headquarters of São Paulo City Council.
The edition benefited from the keen eye of architect Marta Bogéa, former director of MAC-USP, and poet and essayist Augusto Massi, who was responsible for selecting and organising the texts. Massi identified three distinct moments in Ferraz’s career: “without Lina, with Lina and alongside Lina” — a division that structures the work and is marked by photographs that engage with each period.
The publication also includes graphic design by Gustavo Piqueira, of the award-winning Casa Rex, as well as an unpublished interview with Lina Bo Bardi, conducted in 1988 by journalist Fábio Altman for VEJA magazine, which was never published. The facsimile of the original document includes Lina’s notes, revealing her striking personality.
Singer-songwriter Adriana Calcanhotto has written the book’s foreword, offering a sensitive insight into the relevance of Lina’s thinking.
More than a simple collection of texts, the publication offers a critical and contemporary reading of Lina Bo Bardi’s work, highlighting her political and social role in architecture. According to the author, the work also serves as a counterpoint to the architect’s current image, which is often ‘glamourised’ and marked by inaccurate interpretations. “‘Exaggerated’ in the sense of overflowing with misconceptions. I thought it might be interesting to share my reflections on how Lina acted politically in the world — in our case, through architecture,” says the author.
But the publication is not merely a collection of texts. Spanning 304 pages, the book weaves a narrative that brings to the present day reflections, testimonies, experiences and projects that marked the years of collaboration and friendship — such as the Casa do Benin, the Polytheama Theatre and the new headquarters of São Paulo City Council.
The edition benefited from the keen eye of architect Marta Bogéa, former director of MAC-USP, and poet and essayist Augusto Massi, who was responsible for selecting and organising the texts. Massi identified three distinct moments in Ferraz’s career: “without Lina, with Lina and alongside Lina” — a division that structures the work and is marked by photographs that engage with each period.
The publication also includes graphic design by Gustavo Piqueira, of the award-winning Casa Rex, as well as an unpublished interview with Lina Bo Bardi, conducted in 1988 by journalist Fábio Altman for VEJA magazine, which was never published. The facsimile of the original document includes Lina’s notes, revealing her striking personality.
Singer-songwriter Adriana Calcanhotto has written the book’s foreword, offering a sensitive insight into the relevance of Lina’s thinking.
Marcelo Ferraz
Architect, graduated from FAU-USP in 1978. A founding partner of the Brasil Arquitetura studio and Marcenaria Baraúna, he has developed numerous award-winning projects in Brazil and abroad. He worked alongside Lina Bo Bardi between 1977 and 1992, participating in all her projects during that period, notably the Sesc Pompeia. He also collaborated with Oscar Niemeyer in 2002.
He directed the Lina Bo and P. M. Bardi Institute (1992–2001) and the Monumenta Programme — Ministry of Culture (2003–2004), dedicated to the restoration of historic cities. He taught at Washington University in Saint Louis (USA) as a visiting professor, and at the Escola da Cidade in São Paulo. He has published the books Rural Architecture in the Mantiqueira Mountains (1992), Lina Bo Bardi (1993) and Conversational Architecture (2011).
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