Paraguayan architect Solano Benítez designs clay extension for Centre Pompidou in Foz do Iguaçu

Paraguayan architect Solano Benítez, winner of the 2016 Golden Lion at the Venice Architecture Biennale, is designing a Brazilian extension of the Centre Georges Pompidou (Beaubourg) in Foz do Iguaçu. Scheduled to open in 2026, the 25,000-square-meter complex will dedicate 10,000 square meters to the museum, with construction expected to begin in 2025. The project, an initiative of the Paraná State Secretariat of Culture led by Governor Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior and Secretary Luciana Casagrande Pereira, breaks from conventional museum architecture by using locally sourced red clay as its primary material. This choice connects the building to the Triple Frontier region between Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, referencing a 3,000-year-old construction tradition. Benítez emphasizes sustainability and rethinking architecture's direction, collaborating with engineer Rui Furtado, a professor at USP. The architect, who has a long-standing friendship with Paulo Mendes da Rocha, sees the project as a unifying gesture for the continent. The museum aims to function as a cultural center, extending tourist stays by offering a destination after visits to the Iguazu Falls and Itaipu Dam. Its perforated facade is designed to interact with the local environment, respecting the region's natural elements, including snakes and spiders. The landscape design follows Roberto Burle Marx's philosophy of minimal intervention.