Among the many marks left by architect Lina Bo Bardi in Brazilian architecture is the use of red as a highlight in her works. Whether bringing lightness and vividness to the hardness of São Paulo's concrete at Sesc Pompeia or warming the whiteness of Solar do Unhão in Bahia, red transcended mere visual and aesthetic status to become a distinctive characteristic of the Italo-Brazilian architect, weaving connections between many of her works.
One of the most prominent figures in 20th-century national modern architecture, Lina Bo Bardi left an expressive legacy in Brazil, marked by a unique approach in her design processes. Her way of designing mixes cultural sensitivity and meticulous research with technical and aesthetic commitment. She sought to align modern avant-garde elements with popular tradition.
The use of color as a creative element in the architect's composition, especially red, often appeared in her sketches and initial ideas. Whether in external façades or indoor environments, structural or circulation volumes, frames, furniture, or coatings, the color enhances elements in Lina's creations, making them even more striking.
At Sesc Pompeia, a cultural and leisure center located in the western zone of São Paulo, the color was already present in the reddish earthy color of the brick walls of the old drum factory sheds before she intervened in the 1980s. In her design, the handrails, ducts, structures, and frames seem to come alive in red, contrasting with the gray of the concrete buildings.
At Solar do Unhão, a project undertaken in the late 1950s, it is in front of the sea of the Bay of All Saints that the color red stands out, composing the landscape of the waterfront of Salvador. The project’s highlight is the famous wooden helicoidal staircase of the Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia. One cannot neglect the red of the large colonial frames, which seem to join the sun to create one of the most beautiful sunsets in Salvador, warming up the capital of Bahia.
In some cases, such as the Museu de Arte de São Paulo, red has more complex contours and carries a political layer. Inaugurated in 1968, when Brazil faced a civil-military dictatorship, the famous MASP porticoes remained gray for more than two decades despite its two ramps having always been red. Today, the building is not only one of the greatest icons of Lina Bo Bardi's work but also synonymous with Avenida Paulista and one of the symbols of the city of São Paulo.
According to the architect, the idea of using red was old. The color appears in some architectural design elements. In the early sketches, the roof’s gargoyles were red. In perspective, the slabs’ dark gray stands out, surrounded by a red-tinged sky. The ramp-staircases of the civic hall have always been red. Moreover, Lina had thought of painting the structure red, as indicated by a sketch probably from the late 1950s. The color as an “original idea” was incorporated into the mythical origin of the building. The glorious history of MASP regained a postponed glory: the painting was discarded in 1968 because the "impact would be even greater" – perhaps because the military dictatorship saw red as subversive (Lina, as we know, was a communist). - Alex Miyoshi
The use of red in Lina Bo Bardi's work transcends mere aesthetic choice to become a constitutive part of the visual and conceptual narrative of many of her creations, revealing much of the unique approach of the architect's design processes that marked the history of Brazilian architecture.
Sesc Pompeia / Lina Bo Bardi
Solar do Unhão / Lina Bo Bardi
MASP / Lina Bo Bardi
Teatro Gregório de Mattos / Lina Bo Bardi
Bowl Chair / Lina Bo Bardi
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Color in Architecture presented by Sto.
Material, texture, sheen, and color are inseparable – the identity of a building becomes clear in an Architect’s choices of how these come together. Considered through the lifecycle of a building from design, occupation and legacy, we understand that achieving the right expression is tantamount to the success of a building. Sto’s innovative materials and data driven color system compliment design ambitions with technical knowledge and rigorous testing, to offer possibilities, accuracy, and longevity when Building in Color.
Produced by Sto, the short documentary ‘Building in Colour’ is a cinematic exploration into the role of materials and color in architecture, taking the work of Stirling Prize winning architect Michael Wilford CBE (1938 – 2023) as it's starting point.
Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.
