The Roberto Burle Marx Site: A Garden of Art, Memory, and Biodiversity

Discover the art of blending nature, memory, and national identity in The Roberto Burle Marx Site: A Garden of Art, Memory, and Biodiversity by Dr. J. Cruz García Albarado—a sensitive journey through the most emblematic space of the Brazilian landscape architect, where the landscape becomes a living and profoundly spiritual work of art.

On my recent visit to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I had the opportunity to delve into the mind and soul of one of the most influential landscape architects of the 20th century: Roberto Burle Marx (1909–1994). In addition to a long and fruitful career in landscape architecture, he was a Brazilian artist and environmentalist, renowned for his innovative use of native plants in garden design. Over the course of his career, he designed more than 2,000 gardens worldwide, standing out for his artistic approach and his commitment to environmental conservation.

Bromelias en el jardín y Roberto Burle Marx (1909-1994) / Bromeliads in the garden and Roberto Burle Marx (1909-1994)
Fotografía / Photography: Autor (2025) y BNDES (2020)

The Roberto Burle Marx Site, perhaps his most emblematic space, is located in Barra de Guaratiba, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. This vast site of over 400,000 square meters was not only his residence during the last twenty years of his life, but also a living laboratory where art, ecology, and landscape architecture intertwine with a unique poetic intensity. It was here that the Modern Tropical Garden was developed—an approach that greatly influenced landscape design in Brazil and around the world from the mid-20th century onwards.

On the afternoon of the 27th of May, 2025, I had the chance to walk through these gardens with a group of visitors. We wandered through winding paths and intimate spaces, where we could closely observe the essence of his work. This is not a traditional garden. Each corner reveals a living composition, where plants express themselves as plastic forms: masses, rhythms, contrasting textures, and interplay of light and shadow. A vast collection of plants brought from other latitudes has been integrated into these beautiful gardens.

Recorrido por el jardín / Garden tour
Fotografía / Photography: Autor (2025)

A Botanical Collection as Artistic Expression

The site houses more than 3,500 species of tropical and subtropical plants, many of which were personally collected by Burle Marx during his plant hunting expeditions throughout Brazil and Latin America. His approach was not merely aesthetic: he championed the use of native flora and advocated for the conservation of threatened species, at a time when this language was still emerging.

His plantings, far from classical symmetry, reveal a logic of abundance and controlled spontaneity. Tree ferns, bromeliads, palms, philodendrons, alocasias, and other species coexist in harmony, arranged with an eye trained not only in botany but also in painting, sculpture, and scenography.

Agua como elemento del jardín / Water as a garden element
Fotografía / Photography: Autor (2025)

The House: A Refuge for Total Art

Beyond the garden, which we explored with an enthusiastic guide well-versed in Burle Marx’s landscape work, his house—modest, with rationalist architecture—was revealed to us as a treasure chest. At first glance, I was struck by the porch and front garden. Both are widely featured in publications and exemplify the integration of tradition and modernity (house and landscape), a reflection of his aesthetic thinking.

Inside, a profoundly eclectic universe unfolds: tapestries, ceramics, paintings, furniture designed by Burle Marx himself, liturgical objects, and Latin American folk art. Every space reflects his multifaceted personality—deeply humanistic, modern, and committed to Brazilian cultural identity.

Estudio del artista / Artist studio
Fotografía / Photography: Autor (2025)

Art, Landscape, and Spirituality

To walk through the Site is to understand that, for Burle Marx, the garden was much more than decoration: it was a political, spiritual, and artistic act. His work stands in contrast to the manicured European-style garden, reclaiming tropical exuberance as a symbol of national identity and pride. As a multifaceted artist—painter, musician, sculptor, and self-taught botanist—Burle Marx found in landscape a language capable of integrating all his passions.

Experiencing these gardens is a delight not only for walking and contemplation, but also for meditating through the sounds of birds and the flowing water from the site’s natural springs. I felt invited to pause, to perceive the cycles of life, the interaction of elements, the birdsong. Everything is designed to move you—not through imposition, but by reconnecting us with our natural origins.

Escena emblemática del sitio / Emblematic scene of the site
Fotografía / Photography: Autor (2025)

In addition to being a cultural heritage of Brazil recognized by UNESCO, the Roberto Burle Marx site is also a living manifesto on how nature and art can coexist in harmony. His legacy continues to inspire landscape architects, urbanists, artists, and plant lovers. Visiting this place is undoubtedly a privilege and a transformative experience—one that, as a landscape architect, inspires me to evolve my practice in the discipline of naturalistic landscape design in Mexico.

 Recommended bibliography 

1. UNESCO. Sítio Roberto Burle Marx. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1620/
2. Sitio Roberto Burle Marx. https://sitioburlemarx.org/
3. BNDES – Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social de Brasil. (2020). Sitio Roberto Burle Marx. 1ra Edición. Brasil.