Roberto Burle Marx’s legacy stretches from the Copacabana Beach promenade on Atlantic Avenue in Rio de Janeiro to numerous public building gardens in Brasília, to his own botanical garden, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. With more than 50 plants named after him, Burle Marx was an early voice in calls for the conservation of Brazil’s rainforests.
The Burle Marx Institute, soon to re-locate 120km north of Rio de Janeiro at the Cavanelas’ house—one of his iconic collaborations with architect Oscar Niemeyer—is dedicated to preserving Burle Marx’s work. The Institute, established in 2019 as a non-profit organization, strives to make the extensive Burle Marx archive collection, which includes over 150,000 items, publicly accessible.
We were delighted to host Isabela Ono, Executive Director at the Burle Marx Institute, who shared insights from this collection and discussed some of the major projects Burle Marx developed over seven decades. She explained why his work continues to be so influential and how his projects are regarded as works of art in their own right.
Isabela discussed how the collection, concepts, and narratives of Burle Marx’s work can promote a philosophy of individual well-being through the integration of nature and artistry. This vision aims to create the possibility of a “utopian urban environment,” inspiring new ideas for the future of cities—greener, healthier, and inclusive for everyone.
Isabela was in conversation with Rowan Moore, Architecture Critic of The Observer.
