Architecture in São Paulo that is pure good taste

São Paulo is full of incredible details that sometimes go unnoticed amidst everything that happens in this city. If you look up, you will probably see a multitude of buildings – and if you climb to a very high place and look around, you will probably see the same thing. To some, it may seem like the monotony of a big concrete jungle. But there is a lot of beauty in all of this, you know?

It's funny to note how verticalization has changed over the years. What used to be unique and novel now attracts little attention, with rare exceptions from groups that invest in more creative constructions . A new development appears on every corner, with a high chance of making the scene even more boring for those who have already grown accustomed to high walls, cameras, garage floors scattered around or concrete boxes with no charisma whatsoever – a bad taste that they insist on calling the “neoclassical” style. Not very inviting, even to the eyes.

In the 1920s, the elites of São Paulo realized that Brazil was lagging behind in the arts in the old continent, and at that time, they began a huge effort to bring some of the ideas that were circulating in Europe to Brazil. In this context, the verticalization of the city began. And it brought buildings equipped with a large number of very large apartments, with floor-to-ceiling windows, columns, tiles, artistic panels, cast iron railings, noble materials and gardens both on the ground and in the heights. Architecture was integrated with landscaping and visual arts, making some of the buildings true works of art – proving that urban landscapes really deserve a closer look.

We've selected some of our favorite buildings in this city, using the following criteria: residential use, good taste, and sophisticated architecture – preferably not tacky.

1. Anchieta Building

No one remembers that this is still Avenida Paulista, but it is. Between Rua da Consolação and Rua Minas Gerais, the last two blocks from the city's most beloved avenue. This stretch of street is home to one of São Paulo's main modernist icons, the Anchieta Building. Opened in 1941, it had some of the main modernist features, such as pilotis (those pillars on the ground floor that support the building, a big novelty at the time), duplex apartments and colored tile panels.

The project was designed by Rio de Janeiro-based firm M Roberto, which, in addition to being a modernist legend, is one of the longest-running architecture firms in the country, having been in business since 1930, when it was founded by Marcelo Roberto. The building is remembered by São Paulo residents for a reason that is much more alcoholic than architectural: the ground floor housed Bar Riviera for many years – a landmark in São Paulo’s bohemian culture. Riviera closed its doors in 2006, after 56 years of operation and a debt crisis that ended in eviction.

Unfortunately, the Anchieta Building has seen better days. The garden has turned into dry land, and the facade is covered in broken glass, graffiti, and water leaks. It doesn't even remotely resemble the vibrant building of decades ago. And if things are looking bad even though it's right on Paulista Avenue, imagine what other less-traveled streets in the city must be like. But even so, on that forgotten block of Paulista Avenue, the Anchieta is a reminder of the modernist – and bon vivant – São Paulo of decades ago.

2. Hydrangeas Park Building

João Artacho Jurado is, without a doubt, one of the most controversial names among the famous architects of the 20th century. Perhaps because he was self-taught in construction, without ever having a traditional degree in the area, or perhaps because of his bold projects in relation to what was being done at the time, or perhaps because of the enormous success he had as a contractor - loved by some, hated by many others, but without a doubt an important figure in the history of the city.

As soon as you enter Parque das Hortênsias, you realize that this is not just another generic city building. Its facades are colorful and surrounded by gardens – including the windows! Green corridors are hard to find in today's buildings but make all the difference in the lives of those who love plants. In addition to the abundance of green space, the lot on which it was built is generous and allows for the freedom of the forms created by the architect. The size of the common areas designed by him (in 1957!) are the envy of most current projects that value the idea of ​​community in condominiums.

Jurado, in addition to being a self-taught architect, builder and developer, was a master in real estate marketing. He knew how to create the right products at the right times, in addition to incorporating the best of the art of the time in several of his projects – his success as a contractor, together with his training in practical architecture, caused him to be persecuted by Crea and to be persona non grata among key names in São Paulo architecture at the time – in short: envy.

Other honorable mentions from the architect are the Edifícios Planalto, Cinderela, Bretagne – all worth a Google search.

3. Louveira Building

This is another one on the must-see list, mainly due to the signature of João Batista Vilanova Artigas (or just Artigas, for those close to him) on the project – he is perhaps the most beloved on the list of favorite architects in São Paulo.

In the 1940s, São Paulo became known as “the fastest growing city in the world” due to the rapid expansion of its urban area – and of course, space was needed to accommodate so many people. The city that had once resembled a French metropolis quickly became a city without a landscape, without order or control, the scene of major spatial conflicts.

The great architects of the time sought answers to this problem – and this is where Ed. Louveira comes in. The Higienópolis neighborhood has always been a stronghold of traditional mansions, which, as the population grew, gradually gave way to residential buildings. But anyone who thinks that this was a reason for the region’s devaluation is mistaken. Quite the opposite: it was necessary to convince the elites who lived in the neighborhood to leave their spacious homes and move into apartments. Artigas, in turn, managed to do this masterfully.

The building makes excellent use of its spacious lot and the Vilaboin Square, right in front of it – the idea was to make residents feel as if they were in a garden, reminiscent of the neighborhood’s mansions. At the same time, the project is perfectly in line with the city’s urbanization logic, that is: it brought in some elements that became the norm in civil construction, and are still reproduced throughout the city today. This can be seen in the geometric division of the units, the straight lines, and the parallel blocks.

Of course, Vilanova Artigas stood out among so many other architects for good reasons. Trained as an engineer and an artist, he was a key figure in bringing architecture and the visual arts closer together. Today, he is the biggest name in the so-called São Paulo school of architecture and has trained generations of other architects. In fact, he even designed the building where architects are trained at the University of São Paulo – and the FAU building is now one of the city's landmarks.

Ah, the Morumbi Stadium was also him!

4. Ed. Abaúna

The Abaúna Building was designed in 1960 by architect Eduardo Kneese de Mello . For those who are not in the architecture field, this name is probably unfamiliar – however, his contributions to Brazilian civil construction are much more famous: Kneese, along with some colleagues, were the pioneers of the use of precast concrete in Brazil – today, it is an almost mandatory resource in every project.

Kneese also worked with Oscar Niemeyer on the Ibirapuera Park project and in Brasília. He led the creation of the São Paulo department of the Brazilian Institute of Architects (IAB), was president of the Regional Council of Engineering, Architecture and Agronomy (Crea), and was present at the creation of the Union of Architects of the State of São Paulo in 1971. He was a professor of architecture for over 50 years, teaching at Mackenzie, USP and Belas Artes until his death in 1994.

Abaúna was the only luxury project in the architect's career, which usually focused on large residential projects for the middle class, several of which are scattered throughout the city. However, the outlier in Kneese's career is also an outlier in the urban landscape of R. Antônio Carlos, where it is surrounded by more recent (and much more generic) buildings.

In the building, there is one apartment per floor - 500 m2! To give privacy to the bedrooms, the facade is covered with Cabreúva wood, while the living room has floor-to-ceiling windows. For an architect known for his use of prefabricated concrete, the wooden panels on the facade are a sign of good taste that is rare to find in more recent buildings.

5. The Copan

It is impossible to make any list of São Paulo architecture without mentioning the Copan – the building is an icon of the city. Although Niemeyer gets most of the fame, engineer Joaquim Cardozo also deserves recognition for having made the project stand up.

Copan was originally supposed to be a large shopping mall in downtown São Paulo, which in 1966 was still experiencing the glamour of São João and Ipiranga. However, the real estate market demand was huge at the time, which led to the project being changed to residential use. Approximately 1,200 homes, housing 5,000 people. It is the largest residential complex in Latin America and is located in the heart of the city – it even has its own zip code.

6. Building Eight, in Pinheiros.

Ed. Oito is on this list mainly to show that buildings are still being built with great taste in this city.

In many ways, Ed. Oito is a synthesis of the important aspects highlighted in this list: the use of the land, the use of green areas, generous lighting, geometric shapes and colors. Located on a hillside, it is a comfortable, functional and beautiful project, with a privileged view of the banks of the Pinheiros River.

The architect, Isay Weinfield, is perhaps best known for having designed the charming Livraria da Vila units – but his name is among the most famous of the moment. His minimalist style and tendency towards abstraction of form coincide with the current state of contemporary art – they will certainly leave their mark on the architecture of the “2000s”.

Seeing beyond all the grayness of São Paulo is certainly a difficult task (for us and for architects), but it is not impossible. Such a large city has many charms in the most unexpected places, and this includes its architecture. Here we have selected just six buildings that are icons of São Paulo architecture – but of course there are many others. These are just a few of our favorites – what are yours?

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