Brazilian architect Roberto Loeb, one of the Living Steel International Architecture Competition's prestigious jurors, approaches each design challenge from a realistic starting point---what's best for the community-before he unleashes his ample storehouse of creativity. Loeb's strong beliefs in social equality and responsibility are expressed in the care taken to blend design with its contextual surroundings, considering the area's characteristics, its history and its people and not sacrificing human aspects for the utilitarian.

Edifício São Vito 

Edifício São Vito is a good example of this practical approach. Loeb, among others, was invited to consult with São Paolo's mayor to provide opinions as to the fate of a run-down high-rise that had gained infamy as São Paolo's biggest "vertical shanty town." But instead of an eye sore, Loeb saw a wasted resource-a building that could be refurbished and used as inexpensive inner city social housing at less cost than it would take to demolish it. A revitalisation plan was attractive to the mayor and Loeb's subsequent proposal was approved.

Edificio Sao Paolo's current condition (top) and the plan for its revitalization.

The design increased the living area of each unit for more humane living spaces. Each building storey sported its own flavor or feel to imitate the sense of community found in the gated "vilas" common to São Paolo. Loeb also wanted the building to become a positive aspect of the landscape, lifting the neighborhood's spirits and making residents proud to call it home, while visually integrating the building with the nearby municipal market and large public park. To accomplish this, he invited artist Eduardo Sued to treat Edifício São Vito like a giant canvas, adding colour and texture to the façade, yet helping to individualize each storey. The building would include space for a range of amenities exclusively available to the inhabitants and a publicly accessible belvedere (cupola) on the roof top terrace. Though the project is currently lost in the mire of shifting mayoral terms, it remains a stellar example of what it means to revitalise a community rather than repurpose it.

The Natura factory invites nature in and reflects its setting.

Surely one of the brightest jewels among Loeb's achievements is the sustainable development project completed for Natura, the largest producer of Brazilian cosmetics. Natura's philosophy revolves around integrating economic viability, social equality and environmentally sound practices. They were, therefore, concerned about how their new proposed factory, located 30 km from São Paolo's city centre, would measure up to these principles. This led to a study based on Green Building Challenge concepts, using the GBTool software. The main points that were identified in the study were: quality of the internal environment, quality of services and the environmental load.

The Natura factory invites nature in and reflects its setting

To address the quality of the internal environment (air and lighting) air-conditioning systems were planned that control temperature and humidity in the factory and provide human comfort in the office area. The design uses natural light extensively throughout the entire development, including in the factory, and plans incorporated different levels of artificial lighting. The most notable feature included in planning for the quality of services was the building's visual access to the outdoors. One of the company's key beliefs is transparency, and consequently large quantities of glass were used in the façade, not only in the administrative buildings, but also in the factories. From these massive vistas, workers look out on a peaceful landscape of forest and foliage. The building was also designed for an adaptable layout that would allow the company to reorient for new production requirements with minimal restructuring, as well as facilitate easy maintenance. And a host of site amenities, from banks, restaurants and retail to day-care and a beauty salon, makes one wonder why an employee would ever want to leave.

Key to Natura's "green" objectives were the management of environmental loads. The development includes solid waste management systems, an on-site, dedicated sewage treatment plant and an artesian well and water treatment plant to manage the large water supply demand for production. The development realised a 2.6% decrease in annual water consumption compared to prior year usage, despite a corresponding 23.9% increase in production for the same period. Systems for reduction in energy consumption, as well as solar energy generation, also positively impact the development's environmental load.

All of this is achieved in an aesthetic design that is as pleasing to the eye as it is gentle on the environment. The structure is a mixture of large sweeping curves that seem to mimic its natural setting and angular, glass-covered surfaces that reflect it. Multi-level glass-enclosed walkways give a see-through effect that allows nature to leak through the building rather than be blocked by it. Even the sewage treatment plant hugs the landscape and gives the impression that it is part of the undulating geography. More a sculpture than a building, it is far cry from the visions that the word "factory" conjure up in our industrial-age minds.

The Pavilhão Freiberg Project was commissioned by a client who bought a neighbouring plot next to his house in Pinheiros, an up-market residential neighborhood of São Paolo, to create the equivalent of a mini country club for himself, his family and friends. This club would provide sports and leisure facilities and pleasant green areas that are not abundantly available in a crowded city like São Paolo. In addition to swimming pool, sauna, games room, basketball court and soccer pitch, the client wanted the architecture to reflect and instill a sense of pleasure, leisure and freedom. Loeb's response was to use steel, because of the freedom it allows in creating light open spaces, to design a very open, inviting, airy building which blurred the boundaries between and integrated external and internal spaces.

Natura has its own sewage treatment plant, designed to hug the landscape undulate with the geography.

Santander Cultural Loeb's practical and creative approach was employed in the restoration of a structure originally built in 1924. Its restoration was intended to turn the building into a publicly accessible cultural space. Loeb was given carte blanche in terms of design freedom and opted to create a stimulating dialogue between the past and present, conserving aspects of the original, while introducing surprises in modern design. Loeb was aware of this need to mix the original and the new and that this mix should result in a new soul for the building. The best example of his success in achieving this delicate balance is seen in the curves and grandness of the original building's plaza reflected in the new buildings structures.

These are just a few of a long career of world-class projects that have established Roberto Loeb as one of Brazil's premier contemporary architects. Later this year, he will bring the benefit of his insights to Living Steel's 2^nd International Architecture Competition, as a member of the team of UIA-approved jurors to select the winning designs that best exemplify effective, efficient and responsible housing in steel.

See a full list of renowned architects that comprise the Living Steel International Competition jury at www.livingsteel.org/competition-jury-2