From Wall Street to Ocean-Front: Building a Sustainable Family Compound in Southern Brazil

Walter Cain (WG'84) will share the remarkable story of his career pivot from private equity to sustainable architecture—and the stunning results recently featured in the Wall Street Journal.

After acquiring a steep 10-acre oceanfront property in a small Brazilian fishing village, complete with its own cove beach, Walter designed and built a four residence compound to house family, guests and caretakers. The ambitious project became a real-world laboratory for low-embodied carbon construction, proving that we can build with much smaller carbon footprints without sacrificing comfort or beauty.

Walter will walk us through:

• His unconventional transition from finance to design
• The philosophy behind sourcing hyperlocal, non-industrial materials—granite from the property itself, slate from a nearby quarry, and reclaimed Brazilian hardwood
• The logistics and adventures of managing a complex construction project from thousands of miles away
• Serendipitous discoveries, including a condemned sawmill whose heritage hardwood now graces the floors, walls, and ceilings throughout the home

Expect inspiring visuals, practical insights on sustainable building, and an honest look at what it takes to turn an audacious vision into reality.

About Walter Cain (WG84)

Walter Cain is pursuing architecture as a second career after working for many years in finance.  He began his career in corporate treasury at General Motors after completing his Wharton MBA in 1984, then moved to GM Investment Management, ultimately heading the private equity investment group.  He joined Lexington Partners in 1997 as co-founding partner of their series of co-investment funds, which grew to over $2.3 billion in funds under management during his tenure. 

He left finance in 2011 to transition to a new career in architecture, earning a Master of Architecture from Columbia University’s GSAPP in 2015.  In 2017, he started his own architecture practice, WaCa Design focused on low-embodied carbon residences in New York City and the lower Hudson Valley.  His signature project in southern Brazil was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal.

He is an active choral singer, performing with various choruses in NY City including Ghostlight Chorus and the St. Michael’s choir.  He serves on Zoning Board of Appeals in Piermont NY, on the Edward Hopper House Advisory Board, and is a member of the Vestry at St. Michael’s Church in Manhattan, where he serves as pro bono owner’s representative for a multi-million-dollar renovation of their landmarked buildings.