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Last year, the samba school Unidos da Tijuca announced the theme for its 2020 parade at the Marquês de Sapucaí: "Architecture and Urbanism." The choice was inspired by the unprecedented title Rio de Janeiro received from UNESCO as the World Capital of Architecture, as well as the city's selection to host the World Congress of Architects—an event organized by the International Union of Architects (UIA) that is expected to draw around 15,000 professionals this July. In addition to honoring architects and urban planners, the school will bring critical issues facing the field to the parade, such as the right to the city, the construction industry's role in the climate crisis, heritage preservation, and even ancestral architectural knowledge.
According to the synopsis released by the school, "through their work, architects leave behind records that help us understand our history. Temples, castles, monuments, houses, buildings, housing complexes, parks, squares, streets, and avenues reveal the contribution of one of the oldest professions. From ancient structures to modern cities, every space teaches us about the culture of its time. Yet, the challenges are many. There is a pressing need to preserve humanity's cultural heritage, while also addressing the issues caused by unjust and unequal growth, which worsens in urban centers and threatens the entire planet. Architecting life means securing the testimony of the past, intervening in the present, and shaping a sustainable city and world for the future—one to which everyone has a right."
After five years, carnival designer Paulo Barros returns to Unidos da Tijuca to develop the parade alongside Isabel Azevedo, Ana Paula Trindade, and Simone Martins. The theme, titled "Onde moram os sonhos" (Where Dreams Live), features a samba song written by Dudu Nobre, Totonho, André Diniz, Fadico, and Jorge Aragão.
The dream is born in my soul
It fills my chest and takes shape
Becoming eternal, translated into form
The most imperfect becomes perfection
In my backyard, I will build a bungalow
It was once a shack of straw and thatch
And a chapel lit by a candle
The full moon...
Come, dusk is beautiful
Go, I miss it so
Everyone dreams of having
Their own little corner in the city
How beautiful is the view from my Borel
Lights on the hill, my skyscraper
The architect's lines, life is a construction
The concrete curves, inspiration shines
Tears run down the hill
The saw cuts the forest
It kills the purity in one's eyes
The river cries for help
It is land mistreated by mankind
And my cry embraces the Redeemer
To build a better tomorrow
The people are the foundation of hope
The green kisses the sea, the breeze will blow
The fear of loving life
Peace and joy will be reborn
Tijuca, make this dream of mine come true
My happiness lives in this place
I am favela!!!
The samba's beat is a collective effort of love
Dignity is neither a luxury nor a favor
The parade will be divided into an opening and four sectors that explore the profession and field of architects and urban planners. It will highlight not only the modern architecture that defines Brazil's legacy on the international stage, but also indigenous architecture and the importance of urban thought. See the parade outline below:
Opening
What drives the men and women who dedicate themselves to the art of living, designing, organizing, and creating spaces for housing, work, leisure, recreation, and religion?
The artist's sensitivity seeks and finds solutions, raising palaces, churches, homes, villages, citadels, and metropolises that defy time and space. This is a process that has occurred every single day for millennia.
Tijuca parades down the avenue of the World Capital of Architecture, presenting great achievements of the past leading up to today's modern metropolises. The school invites everyone to join in designing a future with quality of life and social justice for all. Welcome, architects and urban planners of the world! Let's plan tomorrow… because dreams live within us, and we can make them a reality if we work together.
Sector 1 – In Search of Eternity…
In antiquity, the rulers of the first civilizations constructed monumental buildings to worship their deities, house their sarcophagi, protect their cities, and entertain their people. Architectural wonders of the ancient world have endured for thousands of years, with their ruins revealing stories lost to time—where pharaohs and emperors honored the gods and built temples that stand as testaments to the advanced culture of ancient societies. The refined knowledge of these ancient peoples, seen in their symmetrical and harmonious structures, has been recovered from ruins and continues to inspire global architecture today.
Sector 2 – Architecting Brazil
Many indigenous peoples live in structures that preserve ancestral knowledge. The *ocas* and *malocas*—built from wood, leaves, and fibers, skillfully fitted and woven together with vines—integrate seamlessly with nature and the traditional way of life. The arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century introduced a new form of architecture and construction that, alongside indigenous and colonial knowledge, was heavily influenced by enslaved Black Africans. Every historical building preserves the records of its designers' work and the labor of those who built them. Walking through the historic towns of Minas Gerais reveals the richness of Baroque churches from the colonial period, which flourished during the 17th-century gold rush, as well as the genius of craftsman Antônio Francisco Lisboa, known as Aleijadinho. The arrival of the Portuguese royal family in 1808, followed by the French Artistic Mission, brought more refined materials from Portuguese factories to clad Rio's Neoclassical buildings. The establishment of the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts and the first civil architecture course heightened the taste for European styles. Some modern-era artists ventured into new forms, inspired by the curves of nature and still influenced by French styles. Under modernism, the lightness of line of brilliant Brazilian architects projected the country onto the global stage. The capital was built in the center of the country as an exemplar of a planned city—one that, nevertheless, failed to resolve the contradictions of social inequality.
Sector 3 – The Dream Lost Every Day
Over time, however, major cities have grown unequally, bringing problems that affect the majority of metropolitan populations. Uncontrolled deforestation advances, causing soil depletion, water scarcity, and climate imbalance, with severe consequences for the entire planet. In place of forests, cities emerge where violence spreads and social inequality marginalizes and threatens the lives of those without even the basic right to housing. Oil spills kill birds and fish, destroying fragile ecosystems. Fossil fuels power chaotic traffic, trapping people in thousands of cars that pollute the air and contribute to global warming. The massive amount of waste generated by rampant consumerism chokes rivers, seas, and land, with tons of daily debris contaminating everything around us. In today's cities, we forget about the future every day. And the harm we inflict on our environment can disrupt the balance of nature in ways we cannot even imagine.
Sector 4 – The City That Can Be Marvelous
Imagine a city where you can open your windows to views of lush greenery, stroll through parks, wander the streets, and feel the warm breeze coming off the beaches, carrying the scent of the sea… Breathe in the fresh forest air. Imagine a place where rivers flow freely to the sea, where you can dive into the bay and swim in the lagoon. A place where safe and comfortable homes built on the hills overlook the landscape, resting in peace. Here, you can wake up later and get home from work earlier because traffic flows and transit is accessible. The air is clean, life is good. There are schools, universities, theaters, cinemas, hospitals, and housing for all. This city exists and lives in the dreams of thousands of people. It is also being built through the daily work of those who dedicate their lives to seeking solutions for a sustainable city. But we must fight for it, nourishing our dreams every day. Tijuca wants to architect the future on the Samba Runway, bringing together those who know it is possible. Understanding the past, reacting to the present, and shaping the future gives us the certainty that we must not step backward. Because a dream dreamt together is reality, and the marvelous city still remains to be won!
This article was written by Victor Delaqua. The translation is powered by AI.
