Exploring the Intersection of Architecture and LGBTQ Communities
The Yale LGBTQ Center is proud to spotlight Love Here: The Death and Life of Queer Public Space, an insightful exhibition led by Yale School of Architecture students. This groundbreaking project, curated by Jaime Solares Carmona, Izzy Kornblatt, and Yaxuan Liu, delves into the evolution, erasure, and reclamation of queer spaces within urban landscapes.
One of the key themes explored in Love Here is the juxtaposition between two iconic queer public spaces in São Paulo: Largo Do Arouche and Praça Roosevelt. These two plazas reflect the shifting dynamics of queer communities in urban contexts. Largo Do Arouche, a traditional center of LGBTQ+ life, has long been a space of queer congregation and identity, while Praça Roosevelt, once a marginalized area, has seen a revitalization that has attracted a diverse, inclusive crowd. This comparison highlights how urban renewal, gentrification, and cultural shifts can both threaten and invigorate queer spaces, raising questions about who benefits from these changes and who might be displaced.
The exhibition sheds light on these issues through both historical perspectives and visionary designs for inclusive, future spaces. By contrasting spaces like Largo Do Arouche and Praça Roosevelt, the curators encourage reflection on how public spaces not only reflect societal norms but also resist and transform them, especially through the lens of queer communities.
We invite the Yale community to engage with this powerful exhibition and reflect on the critical role architecture plays in shaping LGBTQ+ spaces. For deeper insights into the impact of queer public spaces in São Paulo, explore these curated resources. You can also support the recognition of Largo do Arouche as Brazil’s first officially designated LGBT+ neighborhood by signing this petition. The exhibition is open until October 5th—don’t miss the chance to experience it before it closes.
