Anna Paula Silva Gouveia

Letters and cities: reading the urban environment with the help of perception theories

When wandering around a city such as Sao Paulo, we are surrounded by letters, numbers and symbols. These elements form part of an environment full of signs in many shapes and sizes that compete for...

Ensino do projeto arquitetônico: a teoria traduzida em exercícios no processo criativo

This paper describes two examples of structured design education, in a new Architecture course and for Civil Engineering students. Basic architectural theory is presented and exercised in incremental stages. The heuristic richness of the creative process is practiced. Limitations are imposed in specific exercises to demonstrate the strength and influence of limits on design development.

São Paulo City Epigraphic Archive: Construction Steps and Procedures

The study of architectonic epigraphs—engravings containing the names of those responsible for the design and construction of buildings—provides, in one respect, a better comprehension of letterforms and carving techniques, and of its relation to architectonic language. In another respect, it contributes to a better understanding of the history of the city, revealing the participation of architects, engineers, and constructors, some unknown or seldom studied. This study aims to describe the methods and procedures applied to the configuration of the São Paulo City Epigraphic Archive, a collection that comprises representations of architectonic epigraphs found in São Paulo city historical centre. The methods developed by the research team included systematic gathering and organization of many different kinds of data, from photographic records and transcription of contents to maps, rubbings, vector drawings, and three-dimensional reproductions of the engravings. As a result, 134 architectonic epigraphs were catalogued, and information on them was made available both physically and on the Internet.