South American architecture, Building news, Architects, Property projects photos, New real estate design

South American Architecture : Buildings

Key Contemporary Architectural Developments: Built Environment Updates

post updated 14 February 2024

We’ve selected what we feel are the key examples of South American Architecture. We aim to include interesting South American buildings / projects. We cover completed South American buildings, new building designs and architectural exhibitions. We also post architecture competitions across South America.

We would argue that the strongest recent architecture in South America – Modern and contemporary – can be found in Brazil, though Chile also has a strong tradition relative to its smaller population. Famous South American architects include Oscar Niemeyer and Lina Bo Bardi (actually Italian) who produced celebrated Modernist architecture.

More recently architecture studios such as Marcio Kogan (studio mk.27) in Brazil and Sebastián Irarrázaval in Chile have ensured South American architecture remains in a global spotlight. Another major design studio is Enrique Browne Arquitectos in Chile and in Argentina Andrés Remy Arquitectos has produced a string of good contemporary buildings.

Architecture in South America

We have 4 pages of South American Architecture selections.

South American Architecture : A-C (this page)

South American Architecture Designs : D-H

South American Building Developments : I-O

South American Buildings : P-Z

South America Buildings – geographical by country

Argentina Architecture

Brazilian Architecture

Chile Architecture

Colombian Developments

Ecuador Buildings

Peru Architecture

Uruguay Buildings

Venezuela Projects

South American Building News

Architecture Designs – latest additions to this page, arranged chronologically:

10 February 2024
HELP – Teaching Hospital and Research Laboratories, Campina Grande, Brazil
Architecture: Contemporanea Arquitetura e Interiores
HELP Teaching Hospital Campina Grande Northeast Brazil
photo : Vilmar Costa
HELP – Teaching Hospital and Research Laboratories

Cotacachi House, Imbabura, northern Ecuador
Design: arquitectura x
House in Ecuador - South American Architecture
photo : Sebastian Crespo
Cotacachi House – 4 Apr 2013
A couple from the Caribbean seek retreat amid the northern Andes in a small town, two hours north of Quito, an orchard site in a valley 2470 meters above sea level, between the Imbabura and Cotacachi mountains, to the east and west respectively. The couple needs a design proposal in 4 days before going home, or they will sell the site: we have to design a house without knowing the site and after meeting the couple for two hours.

Casa Varanda, Brazil
Design: Carla Juaçaba
Casa Varanda Brazil - South American Architecture
photo : Fran Parente
Casa Varanda – 4 Apr 2013
A house made for the granddaughter of great architect Sergio Bernardes and a Colombian artist was a challenge. At first they wanted the house to have caracteristics of Casa Lota made by his grandfather in 1950, from which we kept some materials such as the ceiling. The development of the project was very interactive.

Casa Agua, New Residence in Buenos Aires
Design: Barrionuevo Sierchuk Arquitectas
New Argentina House - South American Architecture
photo from architects
New House in Argentina – 19 Mar 2013
The site is 2,000 sqm, in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. It has 450 sqm and it is designed for a couple without kids, with, in the ground floor, a program of very large reception areas, that open and closes by very big wooden sliding doors that hide into the walls.

Studio R, São Paulo, Brasil
Design: studio mk27 – Marcio Kogan with Gabriel Kogan + Oswaldo Pessano
Studio R São Paulo
photograph : Fernando Guerra
Studio R São Paulo – 18 Jan 2013
Facing a small urban square, the Loft Studio opens entirely to the outside. The inner space of this photography studio flows into the side gardens of the building and into the urban space, establishing a spatial continuity between the square and the building.

Alejandra House, Rosario, Argentina
Design: CEKADA-ROMANOS arquitectos
Alejandra House Rosario - South American Architecture
photo : Walter Salcedo
House in northern Argentina – 14 Jan 2013
The design strategy by the architects seeks “a compact country house, located on the south side of the lot in order to capture sunlight and to open a large garden area. The shape is the result of a volume subjected to cuts and operations of subtraction. The geometry is defined by orientations, desired visuals and daylight”.

Bicentennial Civic Center in Córdoba, Argentina
Design: GGMPU Arquitectos + Lucio Morini
Bicentennial Civic Center in Córdoba
photo : Claudio Manzoni
Bicentennial Civic Center in Córdoba – 5 Dec 2012
The Bicentennial Civic Center will be the first administrative complex to have been designed specifically for that end by the Province of Córdoba, Argentina. It is located on the edge of the historic center of the city. One of its sides, measuring more than 700m, was adjacent to the River Suquia, and constituted a physical barrier drastically separating the neighborhoods on both sides of the river.

Algarrobos House, Puembo, Ecuador
José María Sáez + Daniel Moreno Flores
Algarrobos House - South American Architecture
photo : Sebastian Crespo
Algarrobos House – 3 Dec 2012
Eight identical steel members, 18 meters long, placed along the x y z axis, confine the space for the house and at the same time open it as they project in different directions. They are abstract beams that are oriented looking for their relationship with the surroundings.

Casa Carrara, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Andrés Remy Arquitectos
Casa Carrara
photo : Alejandro Peral
Casa Carrara – 19 Nov 2012
Located on an irregular lot, the house sits at the back of the lot and is parallel to one of the streets to open the best orientation and capture the best views. The idea of this journey was to discover the entrance as we follow the exterior stone wall.

South American Architecture

Individual Buildings in South America : Major Architecture Projects, alphabetical:

Bread Museum, Brazil
Brasil Arquitetura
Bread Museum Building
photograph : Nelson Kon

Carrasco Airport building, Uruguay
Design: Rafael Vinoly Architects
Carrasco Airport building
image from architect

Casa Caracola, Chile
Enrique Browne Arquitectos
Casa Caracola
image by architect

Casa de la Cascada, Argentina
Andrés Remy Arquitectos
Waterfall House
image by architect

Casa Negra, Argentina
Andrés Remy Arquitectos
Argentine house
image by architect

Casa Orquídea, Argentina
Andrés Remy Arquitectos
Casa Orquídea
photograph : Alejandro Peral

Casa Panamá, Brazil
Marcio Kogan
Casa Panamá
photo : Nelson Kon

Casa Pedro Lira, Chile
Sebastián Irarrázaval
Chile house
photo : Carlos Eguiguren

Casa San Damian, Chile
Sebastián Irarrázaval
Santiago House
image by architect

Cidade da Musica Roberto Marinho, Brazil
Atelier Christian de Portzamparc
Brazil Building
image by architect

Chilexpress building, Chile
Guillermo Hevia H Architects
Chilexpress building
photograph : Cristián Barahona

Consorcio Santiago, Chile
Enrique Browne / Borja Huidobro
Santiago architecture
photograph : Enrique Browne

Contador-Weller House, Chile
Riesco + Rivera Arquitectos Asociados
Contador-Weller House
photograph : Carlos Eguiguren

Corten House, Brazil
Marcio Kogan
Corten House - contemporary South American Architecture
photo : Nelson Kon

Coser House, Brazil
Marcio Kogan Arquitetos
Coser House
photograph : Reinaldo Coser

Cristalchile, Chile
Guillermo Hevia H Architects
Cristalchile Building - new South American Architecture
photograph : Guy Wenborne

More South American Architecture online soon

Location: South America

Osler House, Brazil
Design: Architect Marcio Kogan
Osler House - South American Architecture
image : Pedro Vannucchi

World Buildings – by continent

African Architecture

Asian Architecture

Australasian Architecture

European

North American Buildings

South American

Contemporary Buildings in America

Central American Architecture : Mexico

American Architecture : major architectural developments + designs

São Paulo Buildings

South American House

American Architects

Comments / photos for the South American Building page welcome