AAVS Rio de Janeiro, photo by Roberto Boettger.The programme in Rio de Janeiro is an annual course that interrogates tectonics in the post-colonial, urban and tropical context of Rio. Every year, we question, celebrate and experiment with a typical element of Brazilian architecture. In 2026, the element of our focus will be the roof (or teto, in Portuguese). Cover, ceiling, soffit, canopy, awning, overhead, overhang, cap, dome, vault, pergola, marquee – the ‘roof’ can take many forms and meanings as the physical act of providing shelter is the most quintessential definition of creating architecture. Roofs cover and demarcate space both physically and symbolically. The programme will expose these processes by drawing and redrawing the roofs of several urban spaces around the city.
We will start with lectures on the history and architecture of Rio de Janeiro, followed by expert workshops on experimental fieldwork, drawing techniques, and exhibition-making. We will also have renowned architects talking about theories and practices of urban space. Students will be grouped into small teams to work collaboratively. Group work will be supported by hands-on teaching through individual tutorials and constructive reviews. The workshop will culminate in a public exhibition of small- and large-scale drawings, produced during the course.
Roberto Boettger is an architect based in London. He is a lecturer at UAL Central Saint Martins. He studied at the AA and worked with 6a architects and OMA. Boettger has been awarded the RIBA Wren Scholarship, Valentiny Foundation Award and nominated for the RIBA President’s Medal. His writings have been featured in the Avery Review, AR, AU, and Domus. He sits at the Hackney Design Review Panel.
Olivia Neves Marra is an architect based in London. She is a lecturer at the Royal College of Art (RCA) and the Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL). As a practicing architect, she has worked on housing and urban design in Paris and Rio. Olivia earned her PhD from the AA with a thesis on the relationship between gardens, ownership and urban form. Her latest research work about Brazilian modernism features in AA Files 81.
The course is open to current architecture and design students, PhD candidates and young professionals. Desirable, but not required, software requirements include: Adobe Creative Suite, CAD and Rhino 3D (desirable but not required).
A non-refundable £60 deposit is required from all applicants upon application and will be deducted from the total fees below:
Fees do not include flights or accommodation, but accommodation options can be advised.