Ruy Ohtake

Biography
Ruy Ohtake
1938, São Paulo, Brazil

From the time he graduated from the University of São Paulo’s School of Architecture and Urbanism (FAU-USP) in 1960, São Paulo architect Ruy Ohtake has rendered in his own language more than 300 architectural projects, in Brazil and abroad. His architectural style results from a combination of technological research focusing on the construction industry and an accurate and innovative plasticity. Thanks to these attributes, his architectural oeuvre manages the difficult feat of being simultaneously authorial and sensitive to the status and requisites of the Brazilian construction industry. Committed as he is to create a contemporary Brazilian architecture having innovation as a guiding thread, Ruy Ohtake imprints his trademark on multiple projects that include public works, schools, hotels, theaters and movie theaters, residential buildings, commercial buildings and self-standing homes.

In Brazil, he was awarded the 2006 Gold Necklace, the highest decoration issued by the Instituto de Arquitetos do Brasil (the Institute of Architects of Brazil). He has been honored with the title of Professor Emeritus from the Faculdade de Arquitetura de Santos and Professor Honoris Causa from Universidade Braz Cubas. His international renown has taken him to integrate, together with along with Jean Nouvel and Tadao Ando, the exclusive group of architects invited to the 20th Congress of the International Union of Architects held in Beijing, in 1999. At this event he proffered one of the main conferences at the Great Hall of the People, before an audience of 6,000. At the celebration of the 60th anniversary of FAU-USP, in 2008, Ohtake attended as guest exhibitor and presented a major show in the large venue designed by his master, Vilanova Artigas.

Praised by Oscar Niemeyer for its plastic freedom, the architectural design of Ruy Ohtake has received 25 awards. Today it is found on streets and avenues of important cities in Brazil and abroad. In São Paulo alone his projects include the hotels Unique and Renaissance; the Expresso Tiradentes rapid bus transit system; Instituto Tomie Ohtake building; Cosipa – Paulista Siderurgical Company – Training and Research Centre; the award winning Parque Ecológico do Tietê, an ecological park on the design of which he is currently engaged, aiming at its updating and expansion. The restoration of Cine Marabá and the designs of the buildings Santa Catarina, on Avenida Paulista, and Fundação Carlos Chagas, on Rua Conde de Sarzedas, are some of his most recent architectural creations in the city of São Paulo.

Other projects by Ruy Ohtake include the Brasília Alvorada Hotel, the Gama Stadium, and the Brasília Shopping, the União Química Laboratory, in Brasilia. Currently he is designing a large Pantanal Biodiversity Research Centre for the public exhibition of live fish from the Pantanal, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, and the urban master plan for the Bertioga shoreline. For foreign countries, he has authored the Brazilian Embassy building and the ambassador’s residence in Tokyo; the Club de Las Americas, in Santo Domingo, and the gardens and open museum of the OAS – Organization of American States, in the United States. In addition to having had his architectural oeuvre showcased in solo exhibitions in Brazil and abroad, Ohtake is often invited as guest speaker at conferences held in Brazilian and foreign universities. In November 2009 he was in New York to deliver a lecture and conduct a workshop at Columbia University.

Main awards and participation
2010 Title Professor Honoris Causa from Universidade Braz Cubas
2009 Title Professor Honoris Causa from FMU
2007 Title of Professor Emeritus from the Faculdade de Arquitetura de Santos
2006 “Colar de Ouro” Commendation, conferred by I.A.B., during the 28th Brazilian Congress of Architects, Goiânia
2004 Design selected by critic Paul Goldberger as “one of the seven wonders of the world at the beginning of this century” (for the magazine Condè Nast Traveler, April / 2004), London, HOTEL UNIQUE
2001 Prize at the 9th International Architecture Biennial of Buenos Aires DESIGN FOR THE TOMIE OHTAKE CULTURAL INSTITUTE
1998 Represents Brazil in Fiera di Milano Design Fair and Saint-Etiènne Design Bienalle
1997 1st Place – Contest held by São Paulo City Government, EXPRESSO TIRADENTES – Elevated busway linking the downtown with Sacomã district, 8.5 km. long
1976 Prize, 9th Brazilian Congress of Architects held by I.A.B. TIETÊ ECOLOGICAL PARK
1975 1st Place – National Contest held by I.A.B. OSASCO CITY GOVERNMENT HEADQUARTERS
1974 I.A.B. Annual Prize – Regional Planning Prize, “SABESP” PROJECT – VALORIZATION OF THE MAIRIPORÃ RESERVOIR
1973 Prize – I Bienal Internacional de Arquitetura, held by I.A.B., São Paulo ACHÉ PHARMACEUTICAL LABORATORIES
1971 I.A.B. Annual Prize – Carlos Millan Prize Best Set of Designs, JOSÉ ROBERTO FILIPELLI HOUSE TOMIE OHTAKE HOUSE AND STUDIO JÚLIO MENOCELLO HOUSE, NADIR ZACARIAS HOUSE
1970 I.A.B. [Institute of Brazilian Architects] Annual Prize – Carlos Millan Prize, CHIYO HAMA HOUSE, TOMIE OHTAKE HOUSE, JÚLIO MENOCELLO HOUSE; ACHÉ PHARMACEUTICAL LABORATORY; SÃO CAETANO HOUSING COMPLEX
1969 Honorable Mention – X Bienal Nacional de Arquitetura CHIYO HAMA HOUSE
1965 First place (team effort) – National Contest FEDERAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL
1964 Honorable Mention – VIII Bienal Nacional de Arquitetura [National Architecture Biennial], ROSA OKUBO HOUSE

Selected projects abroad
2006 Barcelona / Spain, Hotel (collaboration)
1995 Washington / United States, architectural design for the OAS Gardens and Open Museum
1990 Osaka / Japan, São Paulo’s pavilion at the Expo’90
1982 Santo Domingo / Dominican Republic, architectural design for Resort Las Americas
1982 Quayaquil / Ecuador, architectural design for the Barcelona Soccer Stadium
1981 Tokyo / Japan, Ambassador’s House
1981 Tokyo / Japan, Brazilian Embassy

Selected projects completed in Brazil
2011 Bevap Urbanistic Plan – Bionergética Vale do Paracatu, MG
2011 Metropolitan Garden –Tietê Park, São Paulo and Guarulhos
2010 Pantanal Biodiversity Research Centre, Campo Grande / MS
2009 Heliópolis Cultural Centre, Library and Sports Centre, São Paulo / SP
2009 Municipal Theatre and Teachers Graduation Centre, Jacareí / SP
2008 Cerquilho Theatre, Cerquilho / SP
2008 Soccer Stadium (20.000 spectadors) in Brasília, Brasília / DF
2007 FCC Office Building, São Paulo / SP
2007 Expresso Tiradentes (Public Transportation), São Paulo / SP
2007 Santa Catarina Office Building, São Paulo / SP
2005 Zuleika Halpern Residence, São Paulo / SP
2004 Heliópolis Cultural Identity, São Paulo / SP
2003 Guarulhos Cultural Center, Guarulhos / SP
2002 Unique Hotel, São Paulo / SP – FIABCI / SECOVI Master’2003 Award
2001 Hotel in Brasília, Brasília / DF
2001 Tomie Ohtake Cultural Center, São Paulo / SP
2000 The Child and the Sea, Ubatuba / SP
1998 George V Flats Building, São Paulo / SP
1997 Berrini 500 Office Building, São Paulo / SP
1993 São Paulo Renaissance Hotel / SP – FIABCI / SECOVI Master'96 Award
1991 Brasília Shopping and Towers Trade Complex, Brasília / DF
1990 Address Flats Building, São Paulo /SP
1989 Ecological Park of Indaiatuba - City Center, Indaiatuba / SP
1988 ABC Shopping Center, Santo André / SP
1987 Diamond Tower Apartment Building, Belém / PA, Day-care Centers - São Paulo State Department of Education (completed - 25 units)
1985 Cosipa – Paulista Siderurgical Company, Training and Research Centre, Cubatão / SP
1985 Tomie Ohtake Apartment Building, São Paulo / SP
1982 BNCC – Training Centre, Brasília / SP
1977 Banespa / Goiânia branch, Goiânio/GO
1977 Banespa / Butantã branch, São Paulo / SP
1975 The Ecological Park of Tietê River, São Paulo / SP (8km completed)
1975 Alcon Laboratories S.A., São Paulo /SP
1973 Palmital Cultural Center, Palmital / SP
1973 Central Telephone Exchange, Campos do Jordão / SP
1969 Aché Pharmaceutics Laboratories, Guarulhos /SP

Selected lectures and exhibitions abroad
2010 COSTA RICA
Lecture at X Bienal Internacional de Arquitectura, San José Theme: “Challenges for the Latin American cities”

2009 URUGUAY
Lecture at Universidad de la República, Montevideo Theme: “ Creatividad, arquitectura y ciudadanía”

BOLIVIA
Lecture at Seminário Internacional de Arquitectura – SIA 2009, Santa Cruz de la Sierra Theme: “ Arquitectura y ciudadanía: el desafío para América Latina”

UNITED STATES
Lecture at AIA The American Institute of Architects, Nova York.
Theme: “Architecture of Ruy Ohtake”

UNITED STATES
Workshop at Columbia University, Nova York. Theme: “Heliópolis”

UNITED STATES
Exhibition “When lives become form: Contemporary Brazilian Art, 1960s to the Present”, at YBCA Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, EUA.

2008 PORTUGAL
Exhibition at VI Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism, Lisbon
Expresso Tiradentes (Public Transportation)

ENGLAND
Lecture at Design Museum, London, Theme: “Design Cities Talk: São Paulo”

2007 CHILE
Lecture at the Meeting of Chilean and Brazilian Architects, Santiago Theme: “The Architecture of Ruy Ohtake”

2006 UNITED STATES
Exhibition at MoMA – Design of the Hotel in Barcelona, with collaborator from the firm Cloud 9

SPAIN
Lecture at Politécnico de Madrid, Madrid
Theme: “From the Favela to the Largest Projects, the Challenge for Contemporary Architecture”

ITALY
Lecture at Politecnico di Torino, Torino
Theme: “The City of São Paulo: Contemporary Architecture, the Social Challenge and the City’s Future”

ITALY
Lecture at Politécnico di Milan, Milan
Theme: “The City of São Paulo: Contemporary Architecture, the Social Challenge and the City’s Future”

2005 ITALY
Lecture at Politécnico de Milão
Theme: “Artigas: His Outlook Toward the Future and Contemporary Brazilian Architecture”

2004 HONDURAS
Lecture at the National Congress of Architects of Honduras Theme: “Architecture and Its Cultural Identity”

CHILE
Lecture at the Seminar of Contemporary Brazilian Architecture at Universidade Diego Portales, Santiago
Theme: “Architecture and Universal Expression”

COSTA RICA
Opening conference at the Central American Congress of Architecture, São José Theme: “Cultural Identity in Architecture”

2003 PARAGUAY
Lecture at the VI Encuentro de Arquitectura Latinoamericana [6th Meeting of Latin American Architecture], Assunção
Theme: “Cultural Identity in Architecture”

2000 MEXICO
Exhibition Ruy Ohtake and His Projects at UNAM – Universidade Autônoma do México, Mexico City
Lecture at Universidade Nacional Autônoma do México, Mexico City, Theme: “Ruy Ohtake: Recent Designs”
Lecture at College of Architects of Mexico, Mexico City, Theme: “Contemporary Brazilian Architecture”

GERMANY
Represented Brazil at the International Conference Bauhaus 2000, Dessau, Theme: “As Cidades Globalizadas – Perspectivas para o Século XXI”

SPAIN
Conference at the VI Congresso Mundial da Cerâmica [6th World Ceramics Conference], Castellón, Theme: “From Regionalism to the Universal: The Peculiar Example of Contemporary Brazilian Architecture”

1999 CHINA
Plenary Conference of the 20th UIA World Architecture Congress, Beijing, Theme: “From Regionalism to the Universal: The Peculiar Example of Contemporary Brazilian Architecture”

1998 ITALY
Represented Brazil at the Design Fair in Milan

FRANCE
Represented Brazil at the Design Biennial in Saint Etiènne

REPUBLIC OF PANAMA
Lecture at the 1st Congress of Central American Architects – Instituto Panamenho de Arquitetura e Urbanismo, Panama City, Theme: “Contemporary Brazilian Architecture”

MEXICO
Lecture at the opening of the National Congress of Mexican Architects and at the College of Architecture of UNAM – Universidade Autônoma do México, Mexico City, Theme: “Ruy Ohtake: Recent Designs”

1996 BOLIVIA
Lecture at Colégio de Arquitetos de Santa Cruz de La Sierra Theme: “Contemporary Brazilian Architecture”

JAPAN
Lecture at FIABCI’96 World Congress in Tokyo
Theme: “The Harmony between the City and the Suburbs Over the Next Century”

1995 PORTUGAL
Exhibition Ruy Ohtake’s Architecture, Centro Cultural de Belém – Lisbon
Lecture at the Centro Cultural de Belém – Lisbon, Theme: “Ruy Ohtake: Main Projects”

UNITED STATES
Lecture at the Art Museum of the Americas – OAS, Washington, DC, Theme: “Contemporary Brazilian Architecture”

1991 ITALY
Exhibition at the Venice Biennale – V International Architecture Show

1983 ARGENTINA
Lecture at the seminar Current Brazilian Architecture, Buenos Aires

1982 CHILE
Lecture at the College of Architecture of Universidade Católica de Santiago do Chile Theme: “Brazilian Architecture”

1981 MEXICO
Lecture at the Colégio Nacional de Arquitetos do México, Mexico City Theme: “Ruy Ohtake 40 Projects”

Books published
2009 Ruy Ohtake – Architecture and The City, text by Agnaldo Farias, Paulo Herkenhoff, Rodrigo Queiroz, Roberto Segre and Julio Roberto Katinsky.
2008 Ruy Ohtake Presente! – FAU-USP exhibition catalogue
2008 Ruy Ohtake 10 years 1998-2008, text by Luis Grossman
2006 Heliópolis – A Cultural Identity Project with the Community – Ruy Ohtake’s testimony
2005 Arquitetura Comentada – Hotels – Hotel Unique, text by Roberto Segre
1999 Ruy Ohtake – Contemporaneity in Brazilian Architecture, text by Roberto Segre
1996 Ruy Ohtake – Moveable Architectures, text by Julio Katinsky and Olívio T. Araújo
1994 The Architecture of Ruy Ohtake, text by Agnaldo Farias
1976 Cadernos Brasileiros de Arquitetura