Una Barbara e Valentim is an architecture studio based in São Paulo that works on a variety of scales and programs. It was born from the association of Fernanda Barbara and Fabio Valentim. The studio dedicates its work to architecture as an instrument for qualifying public and private spaces designed for a better collective or individual life.
The city of São Paulo, where the partners come from, is the matrix of the issues that guide their work. One of the largest metropolitan regions in the world, the city has been the territory of reflection, with the development of projects, residential buildings, large facilities and public spaces, as well as ephemeral projects, especially for visual arts exhibitions. New opportunities have also led to projects in other cities and states in the country, in regions with different densities of occupation.
The parallel work in the academic field over the last 20 years strengthens the investigative aspect of the professional activity while returning this practical experience to the teaching environment.
Fernanda Barbara and Fabio Valentim founded Una Arquitetos in 1996 with other partners, which has participated in four editions of the Venice Architecture Biennale (2002, 2006, 2014 and 2018). At the invitation of the Lisbon Triennale, they developed a housing project in Recife, which was exhibited at the show in 2010. The firm has received several awards for its projects and works. Among them, the Santa Cruz Biennial Grand Prize, the IAB/SP 2021 Prize, the Saint-Gobain 2021 Prize and the Roberto Aflalo Prize from AsBEA, all in recognition of the Sesc Parque D. Pedro II project in São Paulo's Historic Center.
Una Arquitetos has participated in 4 editions of the Venice Architecture Biennale (2002, 2006, 2014 and 2018). It was invited to participate in the Lisbon Triennale in 2010. The firm has received several awards for its projects and works. These include the Santa Cruz Biennial Grand Prize, the IAB/SP 2021 Prize, the Saint-Gobain 2021 Prize and the Roberto Aflalo Prize from the AsBEA, all in recognition of the Sesc Parque D. Pedro II project in São Paulo's Historic Center. His projects have been widely published on national and international websites, ma.gazines and books
Fernanda Barbara, São Paulo, 1967. Graduated from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of São Paulo and holds a master's degree from the same school. Partner of UNA Barbara e Valentim Arquitetos.
She has participated in international seminars and given lectures in cities such as Chicago, Paris, Porto, Lisbon, Querétaro, Santiago, Montevideo, La Plata and several Brazilian cities. She has been a guest lecturer on postgraduate courses: Maestria en Proyectos at the FAU of the Universidad Nacional de La Plata| Argentina since 2022, Diploma de Especialización en Investigación Proyectual FADU/UDELAR in Montevideo|Uruguay, in 2017, and, Des Mutations Urbaines at the École Speciale d'Architecture - Paris| France, in 2015.
She was a member of the curatorial team for the Brazilian representation at the Venice International Biennale in 2006 and was a member of the curatorial team for the Ibero-American Biennale in 2019. She was a jury member for the SAU (Sociedad de Arquitectos del Uruguay) National Competition in 2023 and the international competition for the Lisbon Architecture Triennale - Début Award in 2016.
She has been an associate professor at Escola da Cidade (since 2006), where she has coordinated various subjects and Plataforma Plus, a research laboratory on the central region of São Paulo, with architects Fréderic Druot, Camille Bianchi and sociologist José Guilherme P. Leite, based on the experience of projects by the French firm Lacaton&Vassal. In addition to his academic background in architecture and urbanism, he graduated in Journalism from the Pontifical Catholic University (PUC - SP) in 1990, studied Social Sciences at the Faculty of Philosophy, Literature and Human Sciences of the University of São Paulo in 1985 and Philosophy at the same university from 1986 to 1988.
Fabio Valentim, São Paulo, 1970. Graduated from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at the University of São Paulo in 1995, in 2003 he defended a master's degree at the same institution on Artigas' school buildings (Casas para o Ensino - As Escolas de Vilanova Artigas). Partner of UNA Barbara e Valentim Arquitetos. Lecturer at schools in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay, USA, England, Portugal, Switzerland and many Brazilian schools.
Guest lecturer at various workshops, such as FADU (Montevideo, 2007), Sapienza University of Rome (2014) and Universidad Mayor de Chile (Santiago, 2014). Coordinator of the SP/BsAs Workshop 2015, which brought together the University of La Plata, Colegio dos Arquitectos Districto 2 de Buenos Aires, Instituto dos Arquitetos do Brasil - São Paulo and Escola da Cidade. He was part of the team of curators for the Ibero-American Biennial in 2019.
Visiting professor on the postgraduate course at the National University of La Plata, Argentina, since 2022.Associate professor at Escola da Cidade (since 2006). Coordinator of the Project VII course, teacher at Estúdio Vertical (EV) and supervisor of the Course Conclusion Work (TCC) course. Coordinator of Editora Escola da Cidade between 2016 and 2022. Organizer of the book Um Guia de Arquitetura de São Paulo - 12 routes and 124 projects, Editora Escola da Cidade with WMF Martins Fontes - award for best publication from IAB/SP in 2019.
In 2008 he wrote a critical essay for the book "The City and its Margins", by the artist Elisa Bracher, a publication awarded by the Institute of Architects of São Paulo.
