Beyond Data Mirrors” proposes a cybernetic framework for Urban Digital Twins (UDTs) grounded in participatory governance rather than technocratic optimization. Drawing on Stafford Beer’s principles and lessons from Project Cybersyn, the paper develops five principles for UDTs to operate as variety engineering tools: distributed data governance, recursive decentralized coordination, algedonic signals for system feedback, interoperability through federated structures, and scenario simulation for collective learning. The central argument is that urban complexity is not a problem to be solved through algorithmic control, but a condition to be democratically navigated by citizens with amplified capacity for meaningful engagement.

Peper presented at Sigradi 2025 – Author – Heloisa Sudano & Mateus van Stralen
This paper presents a study that explored the intersection of parametric design, digital fabrication, and traditional Brazilian ceramic craftsmanship through culturally grounded, collaborative approaches. Adopting “digital vernacular” and “digital craftsmanship” concepts, the research merged tradition and innovation through a three-stage methodology: understanding parametric logic using Rhinoceros/ Grasshopper, clay behavior and ceramic 3D printing; engaging with Jequitinhonha Valley artisans through workshops; and creating parametric ceramic pieces informed by traditional knowledge. Results show that clay additive manufacturing can incorporate local materials and craft knowledge as design inputs, forming a “hybrid territory” between artisanal and digital practices. The workshops revealed potential for co-authorship through simplified parametric interfaces, allowing non-specialists to engage in digital creation. The study demonstrates that digital fabrication can serve as a tool for cultural valorization when used contextually, contributing to hybrid approaches that respect traditional practices while expanding creative possibilities through digital tools.

The Janaúba House was conceived for a couple of friends on the shores of the Bico da Pedra Reservoir in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. Organized along a continuous axis, the residence articulates small courtyards, outdoor living areas, the garage, the interior spaces, and a lookout facing the landscape. The architecture responds to the region’s climate, marked by hot and dry periods alternating with seasons of intense rainfall, through ceramic brick walls that protect the house from direct solar exposure and through a large roof that shelters both indoor and outdoor spaces, creating shade, protection, and spatial continuity. Gardens help moderate the internal temperature, while openings favor natural light and cross ventilation. Interior and exterior continuously merge throughout the experience of the house.

Pilot project for the living occupation of street space in Belo Horizonte

A speculative project investigating the daylighting and renaturalization of Belo Horizonte’s rivers and streams as futuring practices.