ABSTRACT
In the middle of a sudden outburst of collective discomfort, the Arquitetura Popular Brasileira collection, research on "Popular Brazilian Architecture" was presented to a local crowd. What can be interpreted as a rising concern for collective interests and civic consciousness is connected to the fact that Brazil has become a middle-class country. While the purchasing power of the emerging lower-middle class is increasing, the aspirations of the populations follow and adopt the consumer patterns of the upper classes. Even though the Tropicalist movement was strongly rooted in local practices, it was also promoting a certain kind of transnational identity by adhering consistently to international pop culture and hybridizing Brazilian music styles with foreign influences. What has been termed by de Certeau as 'productive consumption' then might go beyond the impact of tactical maneuvers leading to significant social change, as it also affects consumer patterns, behavioral norms, and cultural production.
