Brazilian magazine Casa e Jardim held the eighth edition of its architecture, design and landscaping award in 2026 and introduced a new category, Desfrute, dedicated to Brazilian hospitality. Architect Roby Macedo was one of the three finalists with his design for Pousada Buriti Atins.
Among the Desfrute finalists
The Desfrute finalists were Juliana Pippi, Marilia Pellegrini and Roby Macedo, and the winners of the 8th Casa e Jardim Award were announced on 28 September in São Paulo. Being on that list, in the category's very first edition, is already a recognition we are glad about.
Buriti was born from a simple idea: to build with the landscape, not against it. Walls that curve like the dunes, translucent biriba ceilings that filter the light, wood, bamboo and lime, and a stone pool in organic shapes at the centre of it all. Discover the house.
A spotlight on Atins
Atins is a village of sand streets at the mouth of the Preguiças River, at the gateway to Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2024. For a long time it was known as a day stop for visitors based in Barreirinhas. A nomination in a national architecture award helps show another Atins: a place to stay for a few days, with lodging designed for the landscape and kept small.
That kind of visibility matters because it draws travellers who look for time, silence and nature, and who support the village's own guides, drivers and restaurants.
Getting to Atins just got easier
The recognition comes as access to the region improves on both sides of the Atlantic.
TAP's direct flight from Lisbon to São Luís
From 26 October 2026, TAP flies nonstop from Lisbon to São Luís on Mondays and Thursdays, leaving Lisbon at 7:05 pm and landing at 12:10 am on an Airbus A321LR. The return leaves São Luís on Tuesdays and Fridays with a stop in Fortaleza. From 28 March 2027 the route adds a third weekly frequency. For travellers from Europe, São Luís, the gateway to the Lençóis, is now a single flight from Lisbon.
The road to Mandacaru
On land, the state government of Maranhão authorised in November 2025 the paving of the 26 km road between Barreirinhas and the village of Mandacaru, the fishing village by the lighthouse, Atins's neighbour at the mouth of the Preguiças. The project includes drainage, signage and five bridges, as the road crosses wetland, with the environmental care the region requires. Once finished, it will shorten and simplify the trip to the river mouth.
Today you reach Atins from Barreirinhas by speedboat down the Preguiças River, in about an hour, or by 4x4 across the sand, in about an hour and a half. The step-by-step is in our guide How to get to Atins.
Come and see it
Buriti has seven units: five bungalows around the stone pool and two chalets with a private pool. Book direct on our site and the rate already includes an exclusive discount, with regional breakfast included. See availability and rates.
Sources: Viva Decora (8th Casa e Jardim Award finalists) · Mercado & Eventos (TAP Lisbon–São Luís flight) · O Imparcial (third weekly frequency) · Imirante (Barreirinhas–Mandacaru road).