The Future Now Pavilion

The Future Now Pavilion hosts An exhibition Created for the 27th World Congress of Architects UIA 2021 Rio – at the Faculty of Architecture, University of São Paulo FAUUSP.

First exhibited at Mauá Square in downtown Rio de Janeiro in September and October, 2021, the Future Now Pavilion shows architectural projects that radically rethink the way we build and revisit clay as a construction material suited for a carbon-neutral future. The pavilion is now open again for public visits at the Faculty of Architecture, University of São Paulo FAUUSP. It was mounted in a workshop with students of the FAUUSP.

Curated by Insight Architecture, Future Now is Switzerland’s official contribution to UIA2021RIO, the 27th World Congress of Architects, held in Rio de Janeiro and worldwide from March to July 2021. The project was developed in partnership with the architects Diego Baloian (Chile) and Pedro Rivera (Brazil), and the architectural chairs of Gramazio Kohler Research and Studio Boltshauser from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich.

**Exhibition Revisiting Earthen Architecture**

**Currently on Display:** Faculty of Architecture, University of São Paulo FAUUSP

The open-air pavilion is a frame for two dozen large panels that illustrate two recent works: Kiln Tower by Studio Boltshauser and Robotic Clay Rotunda by Gramazio Kohler Research, as well as presenting a brief history on the use of clay in architecture.

A pavilion made of locally grown and sustainably harvested wood is the showcase for Future Now - Revisiting Earthen Architecture. The structure was manufactured by ITA Engenharia, a Brazilian construction company specialized in sustainable wood. The circular pavilion was designed by architects Diego Baloian, Sebastián Silva, Matías Baeza, and Juan Pablo Peró. Shaded by a tensile fabric, the installation can be disassembled easily and potentially taken to other places. The current exhibition at FAUUSP was mounted by studenty in a workshop by the faculty in collaboration with ITA Engenharia. The goal of the workshop was to showcase the construction and use of ephemeral structures.

In addition to the pavilion and exhibition, Future Now organized in 2021 a series of free online webinars with international speakers addressing themes of technology innovation, digital fabrication, the culture and history of pisé (an clay-based construction technique), and sustainable construction with wood and other materials. The project is supported by Pro Helvetia, Zurcher Ziegeleien, MyClimate and the Swiss General Consulate in Rio de Janeiro. The photography in Rio de Janeiro is by Pablo Casals Aguirre, in São Paulo by Leonardo Finotti.