FOLIO 2024-2025 SELECTED WORK RODRIGO GALLARDO
there , the traces, the rhythms, the people. My work is shaped by memory, layered geographies, and the desire to build spaces that connect. I focus on relationships: between land and body, between past and present, between different ways of living. I think of architecture as a framework for care, learning, and reciprocity. It doesn’t need to speak loudly, it should listen deeply. Every project is built around small acts of repair, subtle transitions, and the possibility of shared meaning. This is the kind of architecture I believe in. And these are the principles that guide me. Rodrigo Gallardo 4 5
CONTENT 1 2 3 THE FLUID TERRITORY: NOTES FROM THE EDGE OF THE CITY ARC 3308 SITEWORK STUDIO CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS ARC 3309 INTEGRATIVE PROJECT A REMEMBERED PASSAGE: CENTRO COMUNITARIO GUEMES ARCH 3039 GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE
THE FLUID TERRITORY: NOTES FROM THE EDGE OF THE CITY PARELHEIROS - SAO PAULO - BRASIL “Architecture and architectural freedom are above all a social issue that must be seen from inside a political structure, not from outside it.” Lina Bo Bardi 8 Through mapping excercises and research, the goal of this studio was to reimagine the role of architecture in contexts shaped by informality, spatial fragmentation, and cultural resilience. Rather than proposing fixed objects, we were encouraged to respond to social and territorial complexities with strategies that enable transformation, and support new ways of inhabiting. My project focused on Vargem Grande, where I explored how Guarani knowledge could reshape the relationship between forest, school, and home. 9
TERRITORY This project explores how architecture can act as a framework for memory, transformation, and cultural continuity. Working in the periphery of São Paulo, it embraces the concept of reverse decolonization by allowing Guarani knowledge to actively shape urban space. It introduces a series of open-ended interventions: a school, a housing typology, and elevated pathways through the forest. Each is designed to adapt over time and respond to the evolving needs of the community. Rather than imposing a finished form, the architecture is conceived as a living structure that listens, evolves, and creates the conditions for new ways of inhabiting. In this fluid territory, the boundary between forest and city, and between tradition and future, becomes a space of connection. 2 1 3 CONCEPT DIAGRAMS 10 The site analysis combined cartographic research, satellite mapping, and documentary studies with direct conversations with residents of Vargem Grande. This process allowed me to identify not only physical conditions—such as topography, circulation gaps, and ecological zones—but also the lived experiences, fears, and needs of the community. Through these layers, I uncovered three central challenges: the fear and neglect of the surrounding forest, the lack of quality educational infrastructure, and the shortage of adaptable housing. These insights shaped both the conceptual and architectural direction of the project. 11
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FOREST AS A LIVING ARCHIVE (Understanding the ecological impact of forested areas and their protection) Schematic site section Step 1 - Suspended Pathways in the Park Bridge the topography and connect the neighborhood by creating suspended pathways. Existing conditions Step 2 - Expanding Pathways into the Forest Extend the suspended pathways to connect the forest with the park and both areas of Vargem Grande. Proposed conditions The site analysis shows a disconnection between the northwestern area of Vargem Grande and the rest of the neighborhood with important facilities located in this disconnected zone. Community views the forest as a dangerous space due to drug-related activities happening in hidden areas. Illustration-Collage 14 15
park will serve as a transition space, connecting the built environment with the forest. The forest retains its environmental function while becoming a space for safe, controlled exploration. Illustration-Collage Proposed interventions 16 Illustration - Collage 17
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