IACAI

The Instituto Arthur Casas de Arquitetura e Inovação (IACAI) investigates innovative approaches to construction in Brazil, bringing together architectural ideas and building systems from the past and present. Its central resource is a free online database of projects and construction solutions, designed to expand the technical and critical knowledge of architects, engineers, and students and connect theory with practice. Users can explore examples by design approach, construction system, material, region, architect, or keyword.

Topics include prefabricated and in-situ concrete, structural systems, façades, shading devices, environmental comfort, modular partitions, and materials such as wood, aluminum, and glass. The institute also supports the curation and cataloguing of Brazilian architects’ archives, helping make important technical legacies accessible. Through publications, IACAI examines once-promising ideas—including industrialized construction, passive strategies, flexible floor plans, and structural solutions—and considers their relevance today.

Its collection presents materials documenting architectural processes, such as sketches, drawings, and preliminary studies. Together, these activities make IACAI a resource for research, learning, and the rediscovery of practical architectural innovations