Paulo Archias Mendes da Rocha

Mendes da Rocha was born on October 25, 1928, in the Brazilian port city of Vitoria. He grew up in São Paulo, where he studied architecture at Mackenzie Presbyterian University. Right after graduation (1954), he began to gain public recognition with his unmistakable architectural creations. He quickly established his position with his designs (ranging from furniture and sports facilities to urban neighborhoods). Most of his buildings are located in Brazil, but one of his most famous works is the Brazilian pavilion for Expo '70 in Osaka, Japan.
As a professor at the School of Architecture at the University of São Paulo, he influenced several generations of students with his social and humanistic views. In 1969, Mendes was forced to resign due to the dictatorial regime, and he returned to the school only in 1980, teaching until his retirement (1999). Today, at seventy-seven, Mendes is still active as an architect and is designing large urban complexes.