From Brazil’s expansive open spaces to Europe’s structural precision, every architectural choice reflects a way of life.
For the architect, every city visited during the tournament tells a story through its buildings, interiors, and the way people inhabit these spaces.
During a World Cup, millions of people follow national teams, stadiums, and major matches. Yet, for those who observe architecture, the event also reveals another, silent competition: the way each country expresses its identity through the spaces it builds.
For architect Camila Pimenta, traveling to different countries means understanding that architecture functions as a language capable of translating values, culture, and behavior.
“Architecture is one of the most comprehensive ways to understand a society. It shows how a people occupy their territory, how they value social interaction, how they relate to nature, and even how they perceive time.”
According to the architect, this perspective goes far beyond famous monuments. It is present in how cities are organized, in building proportions, in the choice of materials, and in the relationship between architecture and the landscape.
“Each country has developed its own solutions throughout history. There is no such thing as universal architecture. There are only built responses shaped by climate, culture, and the way each society has chosen to live.”
Among the countries that traditionally spark architectural interest, Camila highlights distinct characteristics.
“Brazil possesses an incredibly generous architecture that integrates landscape, natural light, and social interaction. France impresses with its mastery of proportions. Spain demonstrates great intelligence in its use of materials and light. England has built a tradition rooted in continuity and memory. Meanwhile, Portugal is perhaps currently one of the leading examples of balancing heritage with contemporary design.”
This identity extends to interiors as well.
For Camila, architecture and interior design should not be viewed as separate disciplines. “Interiors reveal a way of life. It is there that family habits, the way guests are welcomed, daily rituals, and what truly matters to the residents come to light.”
In the architect’s view, one of the biggest mistakes is trying to import ready-made styles.
“The role of architecture is not to reproduce a foreign aesthetic. It is to understand why certain solutions work in specific places and to reinterpret them in light of the Brazilian reality.”
This perspective also shapes how she views the international market.
For Camila, while the European tradition built a culture based on permanence, craftsmanship, and the preservation of heritage, the Americas developed an architecture more open to innovation, technology, and new ways of inhabiting space.
“The most solid projects manage to combine these two qualities. They respect the passage of time yet respond intelligently to contemporary needs.”
Among the materials gaining global prominence, the architect notes a return to authenticity.
“There is a growing appreciation for natural stone, wood with less industrial finishes, artisanal textures, and materials that retain their original characteristics. More than just following trends, there is a desire for spaces that age well.”
When asked to highlight an international reference in contemporary architecture, Camila points to Portugal.
“Portugal demonstrates that significant architecture does not rely on excess. Its strength lies in the precision of proportions, the mastery of natural light, the relationship with the landscape, and the quality of construction. It is architecture that remains relevant because it is rooted in very solid foundations.”
For the architect, global events like the World Cup naturally broaden public interest in architecture.
“When we follow a country during a major event, we also observe its cities, public spaces, hotels, museums, and the way that society welcomes the world. Architecture ends up telling that story quite naturally.”
In closing, Camila summarizes what she considers the greatest lesson learned from her travels. “To get to know a country’s architecture is to understand far more than just its buildings. It is to understand how its people chose to live. And perhaps that is precisely why architecture remains one of the most complete cultural expressions in existence.”
(Photo: Personal Archive)
