São Paulo's iconic Casa Bola, the spherical 1970s home designed by architect Eduardo Longo, is currently hosting the fifth edition of the Aberto design exhibition. This unique event features installations, sculptures, and paintings from 50 contemporary artists, all showcased within Longo's distinctive, self-built residence.
The exhibition, titled Aberto/05, runs from March 7 to May 31, 2026, and offers visitors a rare opportunity to experience art within an architectural marvel that has long captured local imagination.
Key Takeaways
- Aberto/05 features 50 artists at Eduardo Longo's Casa Bola.
- The exhibition runs from March 7 to May 31, 2026.
- Artists created specific works to interact with Casa Bola's unique spherical form and materials.
- This is the first Aberto exhibition where the architect, Eduardo Longo, actively collaborated with curators.
- Casa Bola is known for its ferrocement facade and utopian architectural vision.
Casa Bola: A Visionary Structure
Eduardo Longo completed Casa Bola in 1979. It stands out dramatically on São Paulo's busy Faria Lima Avenue. The building's spherical ferrocement facade is its most striking feature, immediately drawing attention. Below this sphere, three separate gallery-style subterranean floors serve as Longo's current home and office.
Longo's original vision for Casa Bola was part of a broader utopian architectural concept. He imagined an urban community where residents would live in similar pod-like structures suspended above street level. This innovative approach to urban living remains a testament to his forward-thinking design philosophy.
Interesting Fact
A bright-yellow slide snakes around Casa Bola's spherical exterior, offering a playful alternative to the traditional winding staircase. This element highlights the home's unconventional and humorous design.
Art Engaging with Architecture
The Aberto exhibition is known for staging its shows in significant modernist buildings. Past venues include Le Corbusier's Maison La Roche in Paris and Oscar Niemeyer's Casa Oscar in São Paulo. Casa Bola marks a new chapter, allowing artists to engage with a living architect and his active space.
Many of the featured artworks were specifically created for Casa Bola. This ensures a direct dialogue between the art and the building's distinctive spherical shape, materiality, and light tones. The curators aimed for pieces that would complement the home's unique character.
"The pieces developed for the exhibition establish a direct dialogue not only with the spherical form of the house, but also with its materiality, its lightness of tone and the sense of humour that is so characteristic of Eduardo's architecture," explained Aberto founder and curator Filipe Assis.
Highlighting Key Installations
Spanish artist Daniel Steegmann Mangrané contributed a notable aluminium curtain. Positioned at the entrance of one of the lower floors, this curtain features playfully cut-out coated-steel frames. It exemplifies how artists embraced the building's aesthetic.
Brazilian artist Sandra Cinto painted two works for the home. Curator Assis described these pieces as perfectly complementing Casa Bola's "spaceship vibes." German-Brazilian artist Janaina Tschape also produced a large-scale mural, adding another layer to the immersive experience.
While most installations are located in the gallery-like levels beneath the sphere, some works are displayed within the spherical volume itself. Multimedia paintings by artists Laís Amaral, Paloma Bosquê, and Tatiana Chalhoub were hung to interact with the building's curves and angles.
Background Information
Aberto/05 is the first edition where the curatorial team and participating designers had the invaluable opportunity to collaborate directly with the architect, Eduardo Longo. This collaboration allowed for a deeper understanding of the building's conceptual foundations and the intentions behind its creation.
São Paulo's Modernist Legacy
São Paulo boasts many examples of Brazilian modernism. Architects in the city often adapt structures creatively. For instance, Estúdio BRA, a Brazilian design practice, recently reconfigured an apartment in the Niemeyer-designed Copan building. Their work focused on maximizing the iconic facade's potential.
Casa Bola stands as a significant landmark within this rich architectural landscape. Its inclusion in the Aberto exhibition further solidifies its place as an important site for art and design. The exhibition not only showcases contemporary art but also celebrates Longo's architectural genius.
- Exhibition Dates: March 7 to May 31, 2026
- Location: Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 2889, Itaim Bibi, São Paulo, 01452-000, Brazil
The synergy between art and architecture at Aberto/05 provides a compelling experience. It highlights how innovative design can serve as a powerful canvas for creative expression. Visitors have the chance to witness firsthand how contemporary art interacts with a truly unique architectural masterpiece.
This event offers a fresh perspective on both the art and the building itself, making it a must-see for anyone interested in design, architecture, or contemporary culture in São Paulo.