Paulo Mendes Da Rocha : Fifty Years, 1957-2007

Paulo Mendes da Rocha won the 2006 Pritzker Architecture Prize, bringing him to the attention of a worldwide audience after many years of producing buildings mainly in Brazil. He is known for his provocative use of concrete and steel in innovative architectural designs that are both critically acclaimed and popular. Widely credited with revitalizing the city, Paulo Mendes da Rocha has contributed many notable cultural buildings to his native Sao Paulo. While perhaps best known for his Brazilian Sculpture Museum in Sao Paulo (1988), his other notable built projects include the Brazilian pavilion at Expo '79 (Osaka, 1969), Serra Dourada Stadium (Goiania, 1973), Pinacoteca do Estado (Sao Paulo, 1993), and FIESP Cultural Center (Sao Paulo 1997). He has also designed furniture, such as the iconic Paulistano Armchair which was reissued in 2004 by French furniture and accessories retailer Objekto.

Paulo Mendes da Rocha began his career in the 1950s as part of the Brazilian Brutalist movement. He served for many years as the president of the Brazilian Institute for Architects and has been honored internationally with the 2006 Pritzker Architecture Prize and the 2000 Mies van der Rohe Prize.