Paulo Mendes da Rocha Reflects on Architecture, Cities, and the Human Condition After Golden Lion Win

In a 2016 interview following his Golden Lion award at the Venice Architecture Biennale, Brazilian architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, then 87, discussed his modest São Paulo studio and his philosophy of architecture as a discipline addressing human problems. He criticized Brasília as a "non-city" and emphasized the importance of urban life, arguing that cities are humanity's laboratory. Mendes da Rocha, a key figure of the São Paulo School of Architecture alongside Vilanova Artigas, framed architecture as a form of knowledge that must engage with linguistics, philosophy, and geometry. He rejected the notion of architecture as a commodity and argued against simplistic "green" or "sustainable" architecture trends. The architect called for educational reform to include urbanism and elementary physics from childhood, viewing the planet as a small, isolated rock in the universe—a reality humanity can no longer deny. He concluded by reflecting on his major awards, including the Pritzker Prize (2006) and the Mies van der Rohe Award (2001), attributing them not to luck but to longevity and persistence.