The collection encompasses practically all of the landscape projects developed by the Burle Marx Studio from the 1930s to the present day (project plans, drawings, sketches, gouaches, and models), as well as artworks and a documentary collection that includes newspaper clippings from the 1930s to the 1990s. Correspondence, lectures, documents, books, printed photographs and slides that constitute a portrait of urbanism and landscaping in the 20th century are also cataloged. They are an invaluable contribution to thinking about cities, public spaces, the relationship with the environment, the diversity of landscape and flora, and innovative aesthetic experience.

These documents are testimonies of a collective and continuous work marked by an aesthetic and ethical commitment, which is reflected in proposals for the creation of democratic environments, artistic enjoyment, and well-being based on human integration with nature.

The collection contains documents related to approximately 2,000 landscaping projects developed by Roberto Burle Marx and his collaborators over seven decades.

The Institute has been carrying out a dedicated inventory, cataloguing, restoration, digitization and indexing of this material in a database since 2020, with the aim of democratizing access and making this information public for future research and activities focusing on culture, environment and education.

The Institute happily makes available the first part of its inventoried and digitized collection, comprising around 100 landscaping projects, selected based on their national and international relevance and their diversity of functions, chronology and geographical location.

>> Consult the Burle Marx Institute collection database

RESEARCH SERVICES

The Burle Marx Institute is in the process of inventorying its collection of over 150,000 items, in various formats and collections. The Institute has a small portion of the material already digitized and, at this initial stage, researches are permitted only for items already cataloged. Thus, it is possible to consult the collection, being evaluated case by case, with a scheduled visit for research assistance through a request by email [email protected]. The consultation of the collection is limited to doctoral researchers, specialized researchers, and museum curators.

For undergraduate and graduate students, as well as junior researchers, we recommend checking the bibliography that exists on Roberto Burle Marx and his landscape legacy. In the case of using images from the Burle Marx Institute's collection, we remind that source citation and formal approval are necessary.

IMAGE USE

To publish works and images from the Burle Marx Institute's collection, it is necessary to request the drawing, project plan, documentation, or photograph by email [email protected]. Send in the email what the work is and the purpose and use.

Not all images are inventoried and/or digitized, and not all images are part of the Burle Marx Institute's collection. In case of internal research and digitization needs, a longer delivery time should be considered. The Burle Marx Institute is in the process of inventorying and digitizing its collection, and requests are analyzed and responded to case by case by the technical team coordinating the collection.

After the request, if approved, the Institute will contact the researcher to send the agreement and the fee amount. The requested contribution is entirely reverted to the preservation and maintenance of the collection, and in some cases, to cover the costs of image reproduction and administrative research work.

In the case of photographs, except for exceptions, the copyright of the photographer must be requested directly to him/her or their representative, the same applies to third-party copyrights or possible objects present in the photos. Such copyrights are not the responsibility of the Burle Marx Institute.

LOAN OF WORKS

The Burle Marx Institute's collection consists of drawings, project plans, sketches, documents, letters, historical magazines and newspapers, photographs, artworks, objects, and books.

Requests from museums, foundations, cultural centers, and other institutions that meet museological parameters for the conservation of artworks are considered. To request the loan of a work from our collection, an email should be sent to [email protected] and subsequently fill out the form for artwork loan. The request email should include the title and curator of the exhibition, period and place of the event, as well as general information about the project along with a selection list of works. The Facility Report of the requesting institution is also requested.

DEADLINES

National loans:

6 months in advance of the exhibition opening.

International loans:

12 months in advance of the exhibition opening.

COSTS

The costs and conditions of the loan will be agreed upon after sending the letter and will depend on the volume, deadline, and type of project. The applicant must also bear any costs arising from the loan, such as packaging, transportation, insurance of the works, courier monitoring costs, photographic registration, and preparation of the works (restorations, frames, placement of anti-reflective glass, etc.).

LICENSING AND COPYRIGHT

The Burle Marx Institute represents the landscape collection developed by Burle Marx and his collaborators during seven decades of work at the Burle Marx Landscape Studio. The works, name, and image of the artist Roberto Burle Marx are represented by their seven heirs, being Haruyoshi Ono (represented by his daughter, Isabela Ono, director of the Institute), one of the heirs.

The resources originating from copyright of the Institute's landscape collection are an important source of revenue for the maintenance of activities and safeguarding of our organization's collection, as well as the administrative work necessary to meet your request. The authorization fee supports the Burle Marx Institute directly and helps contribute to the conservation and management of the materials. Payment of the copyright fee grants you the right to use the requested images related to the Institute's landscape collection.

To reproduce images and documents related to Burle Marx, even from third parties (collectors, owners, photographers, partners, collaborators, etc.), that is, regardless of who owns the work or document, copyrights remain with the Burle Marx Institute or its heirs. The same applies to the use of third-party published material, which is not purely personal and private, requires prior authorization from both the author and the Institute and in some cases, from its heirs.

Our recommendation is always to contact: [email protected].

As a general policy, direct or indirect association of Burle Marx's works, or projects developed by the Burle Marx Studio or the use of the artist and landscaper's name and image in commercial activities of any type or nature is not permitted.

The licensing of products from the Institute's landscape collection is analyzed by the Executive Director and the Board. If interested, send an email with the description of the project and use to the email: [email protected]

Throughout his history, Burle Marx demonstrated a true fascination for natural landscapes, their plant compositions, and the dynamics of the relationships between natural elements (vegetation, water, rock formations, air-winds), which always inspired him in the creation of gardens, parks, and works of art. An example is the Sítio Burle Marx, his residence and living laboratory, which houses his botanical and art collections. Donated to the Brazilian state by the landscape architect himself in 1985, the Sítio is now recognized as a world heritage site and a reference point around the world.

It is worth highlighting the timelessness of Burle Marx's public discourse and environmental activism, present throughout the collection, which prioritized issues that are still pressing in global debates today, such as the devastation of ecosystems, the extinction of native botanical species, and the importance of landscaping for the creation of greener and more favorable cities for contemplation and social encounters.

Throughout his career, Burle Marx reflected on art, Brazilian history, forms, uses, and access to urban space, rights, public policies, socio-environmental transformations, development models, and their impact on the quality of life of local populations. This public discourse is recorded in numerous newspaper articles, letters, essays, and lectures in the Burle Marx Institute collection.

It is interesting to understand the creative process and the choices made through observation of the sketches and early drawings until their realization. In the archived projects, the artistic and humanistic dimensions stand out, expressed in the clear intention to propose the creation of spaces for coexistence, pleasure, and rest in cities. Spaces focused on integrating urban and natural landscapes, and promoting greater connection between inhabitants, always sensitive to their individual and collective experiences.

Throughout 7 decades, we can observe a thematic diversity in the projects, with a wide range of coverage in the national territory and contributions to the international scene, both in the private and public spheres. Some projects developed for public facilities related to health, education, and leisure catch our attention, indicating a strong intention to contribute to changes in society's way of life.

Burle Marx made significant contributions in his time and is now an inspiration for a vision of the future for both the country and humanity, built upon his powerful and creative aesthetic experiences, promoted through the art form of landscape design.

The Burle Marx Institute, as a recent non-profit civil society organization, has as one of its priorities for the coming years to ensure - through partnerships and institutional support - the preservation of its collection and its future public availability through inventory, cataloging, and digitization.