In his third participation at CASACOR São Paulo, architect José Navarro, founder of Atelier Navarro Arquitetura, presents Living Origens as a space that transcends aesthetics to become a critical statement. Aligned with this year’s theme, “Mind and Heart,” the project emerges from an ongoing body of research developed throughout the architect’s career beginning during his academic training and further deepened during his time at the University of São Paulo. Occupying 80 m², the space materializes questions that have long accompanied Navarro’s professional practice, reflecting on how consumption, symbolic value, and architecture intertwine within everyday life.
Rather than simply creating an exhibition space, Navarro constructs a narrative that reveals and challenges the codes shaping desire and decision-making in contemporary living. Drawing inspiration from Jean Baudrillard’s theory of signs and Zygmunt Bauman’s reflections on consumer society, the project is grounded in the idea that we do not consume objects or spaces alone, but the meanings they carry. From this perspective, decisions that may appear purely technical or aesthetic from the selection of materials to the choice of furnishings uncover symbolic layers that directly influence how value is perceived. The living room unfolds as a stage where an engaging aesthetic is intertwined with a critical discourse, questioning the role of the architect, the dynamics of the market, and the ways in which clients and society at large understand architecture.
Upon entering the space, a large terracotta-toned shelving structure establishes a provocative gesture, paying tribute to Isay Weinfeld while simultaneously introducing elements a artificial plants and mock “sustainability awards,” questioning contemporary discussions surrounding perception, validation, and the gaze of others. At the beginning of the journey, the “Sobrepor” chair launched at SP–Arte 2026 through a collaboration between Estúdio De La Cruz and Domingos Tótora is displayed alongside two works by Franz Weissmann, whose practice was defined by a pursuit of synthesis between form, space, and balance. Together, they create a dialogue between the established and the contemporary. This contrast continues within the living area, where “Batendo Corpos”, a work specially commissioned for the space by Minas Gerais-based artist Desali, extends the narrative introduced at the entrance. Drawing from observations of everyday life and the materiality of wood, the young artist develops a body of work that stands in deliberate contrast to Weissmann’s modernist legacy. The tension between these artistic approaches expands the reading of the space and reinforces its conceptuais dimension. “We intentionally positioned Weissmann’s works at the entrance, allowing a celebrated modern artist to symbolically open the way for a younger generation of artists. I wanted this gesture to reflect the broader narrative envisioned for the space,” says Navarro.
A large shelving structure in the living area brings together a diverse collection of artworks, expanding the dialogue proposed by the space. Through a curation that balances emerging voices and established figures in contemporary art, the architect transforms the shelving into a gallery-like display. The selection includes works by Tunga, Elisa Arruda, Marilá Dardot, Ana Vitória Mussi, Amalia Giacomini, Ricardo Homen, Michelle Rosser, Eduardo Fonseca, Thaís Helt, José Bento, Maria Lira, Estela Sokol, Leopoldo Martins, Nydia Rocha, Martin Parr, Raul Mourão, Laura da Vinci, Nelson Leirner, and the metal engraving Algumas Casas by Nazareno. At the center of the composition stands a large-scale work by Andrey Rossi, created exclusively for the project as the artist’s interpretation of the space and its underlying concept. The only modernist artists featured within the shelving display, the sculptures by Amílcar de Castro and Sonia Ebling belong to the architect’s private collection and were carefully positioned to demonstrate the harmony between the project's conceptual framework and its artistic expression. These elements are not merely aesthetic additions; they bring cultural depth to the environment and contribute to a broader narrative about art, symbolism, and the systems of meaning that shape our perception of value.
The furniture selection further reinforces the project's critical and symbolic narrative. Among the highlights is the iconic Favela Chair by the Campana Brothers, regarded as a landmark of contemporary Brazilian design, alongside pieces by Lina Bo Bardi, Envelope armchairs by +55 Design, and a sofa from the same brand.
The space also incorporates artworks and objects of varying natures, including boxes by emerging artist Marcos Roberto and a game table designed by Nazareno for use in his own studio, introducing a more personal and process-driven dimension to the environment. In one corner, special attention is drawn to Filmes de Raio X, a work from the private collection of artist Nazareth Pacheco. Created using her own X-ray films as raw material, the piece tells a poignant story about memory, pain, and the possibility of transformation through reinterpretation.
The project also reflects deeply personal dimensions of the architect’s background. The soapstone flooring and fireplace—crafted from a block personally selected by Navarro at the quarry—evoke his roots in Minas Gerais. At the same time, the strong presence of art throughout the space reveals the studio’s close relationship with the artistic world and reinforces architecture as a medium for expression and reflection. Natural materials, particularly stone and wood, play a central role in supporting the project's narrative.
In the living area, a large-scale work by artist Niura Bellavinha, drawn from a private collection, served as one of the project's initial points of departure and establishes a harmonious dialogue with the color palette. On the coffee table, Nelson Leirner’s Checkmate is displayed alongside Adriana Varejão’s First Aid Manual. The curatorial narrative is completed by Marilá Dardot’s Dipico, a work in which the artist photographed the hands of construction workers and invited them to write about their aspirations an especially meaningful gesture within the context of an architecture exhibition.
The project reflects the studio’s ongoing engagement with the worlds of art, contemporary consumption, and architectural discourse, while exploring how we perceive others and how we ourselves are perceived. Akafloor Milano flooring in Cumaru wood is also featured prominently within the composition of the living space. Applied as a defining element, the slatted wood surface contributes to the atmosphere envisioned by the architect, reinforcing the presence of wood as a material capable of bridging sophistication and warmth within the project's narrative.
More than a proposal for contemporary living, Living Origens positions itself as a reflection on the role of the architect and the expectations placed upon the profession, particularly within exhibition contexts as CASACOR. By exposing common market practices and questioning the superficiality of certain prevailing narratives, the project invites visitors to reconsider what sustainability, value, and permanence truly mean. Balancing reason and sensibility, Living Origens proposes a return to origins not as an act of nostalgia, but as a critical tool for rethinking the present.
Team:
Architects: Navarro Arquitetura
Photographer: MCA Estúdio
Materials Used:
+55
Akafloor
AM Galeria
Atelier Nydia Rocha
Celmar
Coral
Decameron Desing
Dekora Cortinas
Duratex
Entreposto
Estudio Mármores
Etel
Firma Casa
Five Sense
Galeria Lume
Jader Almeida
Loja Teo
LS Selection
Lumini
Phenicia
Prime Marmoraria BH
Quacker
Vener Decor
Verniz
Vitra
