Philippe Starck reinterprets Brazilian modernism in São Paulo penthouse
French designer Philippe Starck has used Brazilian materials for the interiors of the penthouse at the Rosewood São Paulo, inside a tower by architect Jean Nouvel. More
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Vaga Arquitectura and Pistache Ganache wrap Brazilian store in undulating “membrane”
Brazilian studios Vaga Arquitectura and Atelier Pistache Ganache teamed up to design a “consumer-first” boutique outfit with curving coral walls for a mattress company in Sāo Paulo. More
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Nati Minas & Studio installs climbing wall inside São Paulo apartment
A bouldering wall in this São Paulo apartment designed by Nati Minas & Studio allows a sports-loving couple to scale their double-height living room.
The 220-square-metre Musa apartment in the Itaim Bibi neighbourhood was renovated to reflect its residents’ active lifestyles.
The Musa apartment includes a climbing wall in the living roomLocal firm Nati Minas & Studio added colourful hand and foot holds up one wall in the living room, reaching up to the pitched ceiling of the tall space.
“The couple’s request for the top floor was to create a meeting place where they could welcome friends and family and spend quality time together,” said the studio.
Colourful hand and foot grips allow the resident to scale the wallOverall, the renovation involved lightening up the residence, while adding texture in the social spaces with white trowelled-putty walls and porcelain floor tiles cut into shards.Beside the climbing wall, where the ceiling height drops, is a TV room tucked into a corner beside a long window and a bank of planters.
A TV room is tucked beside a long window and planterAudio-visual equipment is housed against a wood-backed unit with a steel frame and metal-mesh shelves, which wraps around the staircase opening.
On the other side, more pale-wood storage forms a bar that leads towards a sliding door, providing access to the glass-enclosed balcony.
A glass-enclosed balcony accommodates a hot tub and a dining areaThis area features a hot tub, and a stainless-steel dining table alongside a built-in bench for enjoying casual meals cooked on the adjacent grill.
The glazed roof and windows provide a panoramic view of the skyline, but can be shaded with a canopy of Roman blinds when it gets too bright.
Roman blinds shade the glass roof and windows when conditions are too brightBedrooms and the kitchen are located on the lower floor, reached via a flight of slender, floating metal treads.
“A new staircase was built to add more closet depth to the master bedroom, with a design that is half in depth and half overhanging, with light metal sheets,” said Nati Minas & Studio.Deferrari+Modesti designs rock climbing-themed staircase for villa in Tuscany
The kitchen is separated from a lounge and games room by an arrival area lined with wood, into which cabinets and the front door were built.
An amorphous wooden island projects from a stainless steel counter, which matches the lower cabinetry, while mesh-fronted storage overhead allows light from the window to pass through.
On the lower floor is a games room featuring a green ebonised-wood tableAlthough neutrally decorated, the apartment is dotted with colourful furniture and artwork, including a bright-red bed frame in the primary suite.
“Loose furniture always comes in as a spice to the atmosphere created as a base,” the studio said. “Here, there are neutral tones wandering between ecru, mint green, moss green, light wood and worked stones.”
The kitchen is situated on the other side of a wood-lined arrival areaThis isn’t the first residence to include climbing apparatus inside and designers have come up with several ways to appease their active clients.
For example, a villa in Tuscany features a blue staircase that doubles as a climbing wall, while a forest home in Finland is equipped with a climbing wall, gymnastic apparatus and a net covering a cut-out in one of the floors.
The photography is by Carolina Lacaz.Read more: More
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Soho House opens in historic São Paulo hospital filled with local art and furniture
Members’ club Soho House has opened its first location in South America, taking over a historic building in São Paulo and creating interiors influenced by Brazilian modernism.
Soho House São Paulo sits within the Cidade Matarazzo, a cluster of early 20th-century Italianate maternity ward buildings in the Bela Vista neighborhood that have been restored over the past two decades.
Shapes and patterns from the mid-century Brazilian modernism movement can be seen throughout Soho House São Paulo, starting in the reception areaA block away from the Avenida Paulista – a major urban artery – and the Museum of Art of São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand, the hotel includes 32 guest rooms and restaurant, bar and club spaces for members.
“The House’s interiors are inspired by the city’s rich Portuguese heritage and Brazilian modernism,” said Soho House team.
The ground-floor members’ club spaces are filled with local furniture and artworksSoho House Design worked with local artisans to source Brazil-made furniture and decor for the hotel and club, which revolve around a central courtyard.This verdant open-air terrace is furnished with rattan chairs, round tables, and green and white parasols for up to 68 members and guests to convene and dine outdoors.
In The Game Room, a navy-topped pool table and a large yellow sectional inhabit the spaceLarge arched glass windows bring light into the ground-floor club spaces, where multiple lounge areas include a Sitting Room that can be used for work during the day and a Main Bar where DJs spin.
The Game Room has a navy-topped pool table and a large yellow sectional, while the Drawing Room is anchored by an ornate marble fireplace and features a secondary bar.
Arched openings connect various lounge areas through the building, which was once a maternity wardSoho House São Paulo also features two event spaces: the Condessa room and the Zambone room on the second floor, which includes a private bar and a video projector.
Artwork around the building forms a collection amassed by the Soho House team that includes the work of 60 artists born, based or trained in Brazil.
Guest bedrooms feature textured plaster walls and bold patterned curtainsA surrealist mural in the main bar, titled Pernas, pra que te quero!, was created by local artist Marcelo Cipis.
Upstairs guest rooms vary in size, with the larger ones featuring freestanding baths and living areas, and some have a private terrace.Latest Soho House outpost in Los Angeles takes cues from California’s mid-century art scene
Occupying the upper level, the rooms are decorated with textured plaster walls, dark wooden furniture and bold patterned curtains that nod to Brazilian modernism.
“The lighting and furnishings in every bedroom have been sourced locally, including reclaimed wood floors and hand-painted tiles in the bathrooms,” said the team.
A central courtyard allows up to 68 members and guests to dine and relax outdoors”At the same time, all fabrics and accessories have been produced in Brazil or handmade in São Paulo,” they added.
A second phase of development, due to be completed in 2025, will include the addition of a gym with multiple fitness and spa areas, and a rooftop pool bar surrounded by loungers for sunbathing.
Soho House São Paulo is located within the restored Cidade Matarazzo, a cluster of early 20th-century Italianate buildings in the city’s Bela Vista neighborhoodSoho House currently operates 42 locations worldwide, with recent openings in the Americas including Mexico City, Nashville, Austin and a third outpost in Los Angeles.
The group was founded in London by Nick Jones in 1995, and became known for its distinctive rustic and eclectic interior style that has since developed to echo contextual cues of each house location.
The photography is by Christopher Sturman.Read more: More
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Pascali Semerdjian creates Aurora Apartment to hold “two universes” in Brazil
Gut-renovating this São Paulo apartment has allowed Brazilian studio Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos to incorporate the personalities of it occupants, particularly in the bedrooms of the family’s two children.
The Aurora Apartment is home to a family of four, and sits on a private street in the Alto de Pinheiros neighbourhood to the west of the city.
Renovating the Aurora Apartment involved opening up the living spacesA total overhaul of the residence was needed to open up its spaces, bring in more light, and incorporate new materials and decor that reflect the owners’ tastes.
Without complete structural plans of the apartment or building, the demolition process revealed multiple hidden elements.
The dining room is sometimes used for business meetings and dinnersOnly when the apartment had been fully stripped back to its bare bones was Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos able to design the floor plan to work around the structure.“When we saw the remaining columns and slabs, we were able to continue sketching the client’s necessities as well as our ideas onto paper,” said the studio.
A wall panel opens to reveal a hidden home barOnce the layout was “settled”, the architects began to examine the walls and space volumetrically to discover ways to add interesting design moments that would reveal more about the family.
“One of the most important things about this project is how every single space, both social and private, has the family personality, with a unique design that results in harmony with the whole,” said Pascali Semerdjian Architects.
Close to the entrance, a gridded cabinet houses a coat closetThe apartment is divided into a large, open social space that’s occasionally used for hosting business meeting and dinners, and a private area that contains the bedrooms and bathrooms.
“We wanted to create two universes in the same apartment: an intimate and cozy one, and another minimalist and social,” the studio said.
Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos has played with volumes and materials throughout the apartmentDark wood panelling lines the entryway, concealing a storage area for keys and shoes, and the same floor-to-ceiling wood panels are used in the corner of the dining room. Here, a hidden door swings open to reveal a bar, and a brass container built into a plastered counter serves as a cooler for bottles.
Stone flooring in the living area is laid in thin planks to match the pattern of the wooden boards that run through the private spaces.
Designed during the pandemic, the apartment contains several multifunctional spacesSeveral classic midcentury designs were chosen for the living space, including Jean Prouvé dining chairs and a pair of salmon-coloured Ondine armchairs by Jorge Zalszupin.
These are mixed in with contemporary furnishings like the Thin Black side tables by Nendo and a leather chaise by Studiopepe.Pascali Semerdjian exposes concrete ceiling for São Paulo apartment overhaul
A variety of furniture and lighting pieces custom-designed by Pascali Semerdjian also feature in the apartment, such as the main sofa, the office chairs, and the bar sconces.
There’s also a coat closet housed within a gridded cabinet, which is affixed to a mirror and features a cluster of square lights in its top right corner.
In the home’s private section, the primary bedroom is minimally decoratedIn the private quarters, the primary suite is minimally finished in white and wood surfaces, while the children’s rooms are much more expressive.
For example, the younger son’s room is designed to resemble a small house, formed from wood panelling that covers the walls and is pitched on the ceiling.
Natural light floods the primary bedroom when its sliding wooden doors are openedHis bed and a sofa are raised to create space for a “hide-and-seek” tunnel underneath, while the older daughter’s room includes arched white closets.
“We seek to bring originality to all rooms, with special attention to the children’s room, where we’ve pursued solutions that are close to playful, without exaggeration,” Pascali Semerdjian said.
The bedroom of the family’s younger son is designed like a houseThe renovation work began during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, so special attention was paid to creating multifunctional spaces.
“The project seeks to balance and bring fluidity between the different possible uses of a house, allowing residents to experience moments together as well as the possibility of having privacy, including the couple,” said the architects.
The son’s bed and a sofa are raised to accommodate a hide-and-seek tunnel underneathPascali Semerdjian Arquitetos was founded by Domingos Pascali and Sarkis Semerdjian in 2010, and the studio has renovated many apartments across São Paulo.
They include a residence imbued with a “deeply Brazilian and vividly cosmopolitan” flavour and a home organised around a semi-circular wooden library.
The photography is by Fran Parente.
Project credits:
Project and interiors: Pascali Semerdjian ArchitectsTeam: Sarkis Semerdjian, Domingos Pascali, Ana Luisa Cunha, Fernando SpnolaProduction: VC ArtworkExecution: S Macedo EngenhariaRead more: More
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Brazilian architects renovate Brigadeiro Apartment for themselves
Architect couple Leandro Garcia and Amanda Dalla-Bona have renovated a 1970s apartment in Curitiba, Brazil, for themselves, reconfiguring the layout and choosing eclectic furniture.
All of the electrics and plumbing needed to be replaced, and the floor plan was rethought to create “a place to pause and retreat”.
The couple remodelled the apartment to suit their needsThree bedrooms were replaced with two to make room for a larger living and dining area, which could be integrated with the existing kitchen.
Original features including the window frames and the imbuia parquet floor were retained and restored, while a variety of new materials were introduced.
The living space with brightened by white walls, large rugs and translucent curtainsThe Brigadeiro Apartment has been in Dalla-Bona’s family since the 1980s – it was her parents’ home as newlyweds and where her older sister was born.After moving out when they planned their second child, the parents rented out the 108-square-metre space for 30 years.
A concrete column was exposed while reconfiguring the floor planDue to its central location, Dalla-Bona always discouraged them from selling it, as she had intentions to move in herself one day.
When that time came recently, she and her partner Garcia decided to remodel the interiors to better align with their needs.
The architects custom-designed a 4.5-metre-long dining table for themselves”From the apartment the view is expansive, a rare characteristic in the city centre, and we were both captivated by the natural light, the sun and wind streaming in through the windows,” said the couple.
“Walking a few blocks, we arrive at our favorite cafes and restaurants and in our studio, where we work together,” they added.
Removing a bedroom allowed the living space to be opened up to the kitchenTerrazzo countertops and a backsplash of hydraulic tiles were added in the kitchen, while a concrete column in the living room was exposed.
The remainder of the lounge area is brightened by white walls, textured rugs and translucent curtains.
Terrazzo countertops and hydraulic tiles were introduced in the kitchenAn assortment of vintage modernist and newer furniture pieces – mostly by Brazilian designers – add colour and character to the interiors.
Mid-century seating by Percival Lafer, Flavio de Carvalho and Geraldo de Barros are among the couple’s choices, along with a collection of lamps, stools and tables.Leandro Garcia renovates compact flat in Curitiba for hosting guests
“In the living room, the furniture – not only the armchairs, but also the carpets, must be soft to sit on the ground – was chosen, thrifted and positioned for conversations and readings,” they said.
Garcia and Dalla-Bona also custom-designed a 4.5-metre-long wood dining table to accommodate their various daily activities, and host their friends and family for meals.
A variety of vintage furniture pieces were sourced for the interiorsBesides the cabinetry in the kitchen and bathroom, all of the storage and furniture is moveable.
In the bathroom, the floor and walls are covered in small white mosaic tiles, affixed with matching grout for a clean, minimalist appearance.
White mosaic tiles and grout create a minimalistic look in the bathroomCuritiba, in the southern Brazilian state of Paraná, is the site of several projects completed by Garcia, Dalla-Bona and their team, including the renovation of a compact apartment renovated for a journalist.
The studio has also overhauled a family’s holiday home near the beach in Matinhos, and filled it with vintage Brazilian furniture.
The photography is by Fran Parente.Read more: More
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Pascali Semerdjian exposes concrete ceiling for São Paulo apartment overhaul
São Paulo studio Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos has renovated an apartment in the city for a local family, utilising the furniture, cladding and exposed details to create social spaces that are “deeply Brazilian and vividly cosmopolitan”.
The family asked Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos to design their home after seeing another apartment the firm had overhauled, which was also featured on Dezeen.
Brazilian design including an Oscar Niemeyer chaise longue is showcased throughout this renovated apartmentFor the 376-square-metre ER Apartment, the architects divided the layout into two – placing an open social area and guest suite in one half, and the private rooms in the other.
The social area comprises an expansive, combined dining and living space with access to multiple planted balconies.
Social spaces including the dining room are lined with pale timber slatsWalls in this area are lined with vertical slats of pale timber, interrupted by panels of jade-coloured onyx that extend out to form side tables next to sofas.Behind the onyx wall panel is a hidden hemispherical light fixture, which glows softly through the stone when illuminated.
In the kitchen, a breakfast bar emerges from a drum-like plaster sinkThe eclectic furniture in the living area ranges from a chaise lounge by Brazilian modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer, and vintage chairs by Svante Skogh and Kurt Østervig, to a double-sided stool by contemporary Brazilian designer Claudia Moreira Salles.
“The clients worked with [us] to develop social zones that are both deeply Brazilian and vividly cosmopolitan,” said Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos.
Plenty of storage was added during the renovation workIn the dining room, a large walnut table is shaped to follow the curves of the walls and is accompanied by a set of Erik Buch chairs.
A pair of Prop Lights by Dutch designer Bertjan Pot hang from the concrete ceiling, which was exposed during the renovation in this and several other rooms.
Natural materials are used in the private areas and the building’s concrete ceilings were exposedThis side of the apartment also includes a custom wine cellar and a kitchen where a breakfast bar extends from a drum-like plaster form that incorporates the sink.
The private half of the home includes the primary suite, bedrooms and a toy room for the daughters, storage space and a shared bathroom.Curved bookshelf organises Pascali Semerdjian’s VLP apartment in São Paulo
Most of the materials in these spaces are natural, and the clients required “sustainability certificates for every piece of wood used in the renovation” according to the designers.
“The couple loves object design, just like us, so we took a lot of care and made some special designs for them, so the apartment would be unique and a different experience,” the studio said.
The apartment includes a toy room for the clients’ daughtersCustom pieces include a trough-like bronze and stone sink in the primary bathroom, a cocktail table in the lounge, and an “almost religious” niche and closet set into the entryway.
The family’s extensive collection of contemporary Brazilian art is also showcased throughout the home, including works by Ana María Tavares, Gabriela Costa and Matias Mesquita.
Among the custom elements in the home is a trough-like bronze sink in the primary bathroomIn densely populated São Paulo, apartment living is extremely common and architects often have to get creative to add character to generic spaces.
Recently completed examples include a duplex penthouse with a sculptural staircase, a home filled with different textures, and a residence where the concrete structure is left fully exposed.
The photography is by Fran Parente and image production is by Victor Correa.Read more: More
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Tria Arquitetura renovates São Paulo penthouse with sculptural staircase
A large variety of art and collectible design pieces populate this penthouse apartment in São Paulo, designed by local studio Tria Arquitetura, which also includes a sculptural staircase.
The renovation of the 960-square-metre Frederic Chopin Apartment was led by architect Marina Cardoso de Almeida of Tria Arquitetura, who reconfigured the layout to make the most of the high ceilings and views.
A sculptural staircase snakes between the levels of the duplex apartmentThe apartment is split over two floors and is home to an art-loving couple.
Previously the owners of a large house, the clients chose to move to an apartment for convenience and security, but still wanted their space to feel open and expansive.
Green furniture and rugs are highlighted against mostly neutral-toned materialsThe primary suite was moved to the upper floor, where the bed could be aligned with a floor-to-ceiling window that overlooks the cityscape.An intimate library was also created on this level, so that the whole floor is dedicated entirely to private space, apart from the patio and pool terrace, where the clients entertain guests.
The couple’s contemporary art collection draws attention throughout the apartmentTwo employees’ suites were shifted to the lower floor, and a guest suite and home theatre were added in place of the closet.
Connecting the two levels is a staircase with travertine treads and solid white bannisters, which snakes up a double-height space to appear like a piece of sculpture.
Slatted wooden panels wrap the elevator block, the fireplace and the wall dividing the main living room from the guest areaThis sets the tone for the rest of the contemporary artworks and materials used throughout the penthouse.
“The main concept in the choice of finishes and architectural solutions was to bring comfort but still leave a big void so that the works could dress the house,” said Tria Arquitetura.
Stainless steel in the kitchen matches a wrapped column in the living areaIn the open living and dining area, colourful paintings adorn the walls, and furniture and rugs in shades of green and orange stand out against the otherwise neutral palette.
“In the living room there were three large main volumes that should be highlighted to bring texture and more cosiness,” Tria Arquitetura said.
The staircase features solid white bannisters and travertine treadsThese include the elevator block, the fireplace and the wall dividing the main room from the guest area, which are covered in thin vertical slats of veneered natural wood.
Another column is wrapped in stainless steel to offer a cool, sharp-edged contrast to the wood and other warm tones in the living room.
The primary bedroom was moved upstairs to face the best viewUpstairs in the library, wide-planked wood flooring is continued up the walls to make the room feel cosy, and provide a backdrop for a series of framed vintage maps.
“It was only in the library that the architect chose to cover all the walls with the same wood as the floor to give more seriousness and highlight the environment from the others,” the studio said.Studio MK27 combines different textures in São Paulo apartment interior
Updates were also made to the outdoor area, where the pool was reduced in size and re-edged to better integrate it with the landscaping.
A pair of imitation classical pillars were also demolished, and a wood and glass pergola was added to cover the patio.
Walls of an intimate library are panelled with the same wood as the floorThroughout the apartment, fully automated systems controlling the air conditioning, lighting, landscaping irrigation, and curtains and blinds were added during the renovation.
The project took over two years to complete due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The project also involved adding a pergola and reducing the pool size on the terraceApartment living is commonplace in densely populated São Paulo, where architects and designers have used their creativity to add character to previously uninspiring spaces.
Other recently completed examples include a residence by Studio MK27 that features furry upholstery, lace curtains and tactile rugs, and a renovation by Memola Estudio that exposed the building’s concrete structure.
The photography is by Fran Parente.
Project credits:
Lead architect: Marina Cardoso de AlmeidaCreative team: Marina Cardoso de Almeida, Sarah Bonanno, Barbara Castro, Barbara Silva, Virginia CaldasEngineering: Steel ConstruçõesLandscaping: Alex HanazakiLight technician: Carlos FortesAutomation: TaagAir conditioning: DealtecRead more: More
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Gema Arquitetura brings colour to Sallve offices in São Paulo
Shades of pink, purple and yellow run through the workspaces that Brazilian studio Gema Arquitetura has designed for skincare brand Sallve in São Paulo.
Sallve’s offices, studios and labs sit above the company’s inaugural retail space in an existing five-storey building in the city’s Pinheiros neighbourhood.
Sallve’s offices and studio spaces occupy a five-storey building in PinheirosThe studio transformed 1,500 square metres of space, spread across an elongated floor plan that allowed for a flow to be created between the different levels.
“Focal points organise and direct the user’s trajectory, in a path that welcomes from the street and leads along the floors,” said Gema Arquitectura, which has offices in São Paulo and Belo Horizonte.
Bright colours used in meeting rooms echo the skincare brand’s packagingThese focal points include splashes of bright colour on walls, floors and furniture, immediately visible when entering the building.The chosen hues echo those used across Sallve’s product packaging and visual identity to align the space closely with the brand.
Flexible workspaces are incorporated throughout the building”We immersed ourselves in the brand, its positioning, vibration and sought a language that represented the company in a true, uncomplicated and unique way,” Gema Arquitectura said.
From the front door, a corridor is lined in glossy bold purple film on one side, and bands of yellow and pink paint on the other.
Pastel-toned furniture and glass partitions define areas across the different levelsThe ground floor includes areas for greeting guests, flexible meetings, making coffee and product testing.
Pastel-toned tables and chairs are available for casual working, while further desk space is accessed through a row of bespoke pivoting screens framed in pale yellow.
On the ground floor, bespoke glass doors pivot to open up the spaceOne level up are Sallve’s laboratories for developing skincare formulas, where the interiors continue the same colour scheme used in a more clinical environment.
Meeting rooms and creative studios on the upper storeys are demarcated by glass partitions and feature pink and purple carpets.
The ground floor is used for greeting guests, flexible meetings and making coffeeElsewhere in the building, the carpet was removed to reveal terrazzo floors that were restored. Ductwork and services were left exposed across the concrete ceilings throughout.
Bathrooms were expanded to be more comfortable, and now include enclosed stalls, benches and large mirrors.Rapt Studio fashions soothing interiors for Goop HQ in Santa Monica
On the exterior, the building’s front facade was covered in a wavy metallic veil, while walls that define the property boundaries were painted white.
Separate entrances to the store and the workspace were clearly defined, and are set back from the street to create a welcoming forecourt.
Bright purple and yellow line the corridor from the entrance”Intuitively, the building expands into the surroundings, seeking an affective connection with the city and the people,” said Gema Arquitetura.
“Fluidity and dynamism define the space, in a tailoring of design, building this identity through simple and real connections.”
The existing building facade was re-clad in a wavy metallic veilOther skincare and wellness brands have similarly used their office interiors to reflect the visual identity of their products, from Goop’s soothing HQ in Santa Monica to Aesop’s “simple and elegant” workspaces in London.
The photography is by Felco.
Project credits:
Architecture: Gema ArquiteturaConstructor: Its InformovResponsible architects: Nara Grossi, Priscila Almeida, Joseana CostaTeam: Giuliana Mora, Renan Merlin, Luiza LangeaniRead more: More
