It is with great sadness that PROARQ announces the passing, on November 20th, of one of Brazil’s greatest references in Acoustics: Professor Dr. Jules Ghislain Slama (1946–2025).
Within his teaching and research activities, his contribution to the creation and development of the Graduate Program in Architecture at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (PROARQ FAU UFRJ) deserves special recognition.
In 1987, the Professor had the courage to “cross the street” and take on the challenge of teaching Acoustics to architects. His participation in PROARQ shifted the focus of study from a specialized and demanding field, limited to major facilities such as studios and performance halls, to the everyday problems that shape the soundscapes of our cities and living spaces.
His work was fundamental to integrating Acoustics into Architecture. Over 15 years of active involvement in the Program, he supervised 25 master’s dissertations addressing design and construction solutions for residences, schools, urban environments, and material performance.
He trained what may have been the first generation of architect-acousticians who began to work professionally in a field previously dominated by engineering, as well as contributing academically and disseminating this knowledge—reaching today a fourth generation of architect-acousticians.
At PROARQ, he served as Program Coordinator from 1995 to 1997. He was also the founder and first president of the Brazilian Acoustical Society (SOBRAC), elected in 1984.
With his gentle voice and unmistakable accent, he was a true sound charmer, inspiring architects to listen to sounds and shape their architecture with—and for—them. His former advisees who returned to PROARQ as faculty members and researchers continue this path of scientific production in acoustics, ensuring the continuation of his legacy.
Andrea Queiroz Rego, Maria Júlia Santos, and Maria Lygia Niemeyer.