Architecture in downtown São Paulo: discover the Eclectic and Art Deco styles

Like all major cities in the world, the center of São Paulo has been heavily influenced by different architectural styles in its buildings over the centuries.

From large colonial mansions to contemporary futuristic style buildings, the city underwent many changes under the impact of what was considered the style of the moment.

Some of these were the eclectic style – which emerged at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century – and art deco.

Both styles emerged in Europe, arrived in Brazil shortly after and were marked in buildings mainly in the center of the city of São Paulo.

Let’s learn a little more about the origin of each one and their characteristics in São Paulo’s buildings?

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And before we talk about architecture, if you're wondering why, even though it's a wonderful neighborhood, there are still so many empty properties in the center, we have a quick summary here.

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Eclectic style or eclecticism

In a period of intense cultural, industrial and economic change, Europe and the United States were also expanding their concepts, but also their architectural possibilities at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century.

This is because, during this period, under the impact of the industrial revolutions that occurred since the beginning of the 18th century, the technology for carrying out various tasks developed greatly.

During this period, architectural styles were simpler and produced with fewer materials.

It was with the industrial revolution and the greater possibility of extracting, importing and producing different products with different raw materials, that a style emerged that had many new possibilities, but with influences that were still old.

Eclectic architecture came as a way of embracing what was considered the best of previous styles, such as medieval , classical, baroque, renaissance, gothic and neoclassical, for example, but with the introduction of new elements.

This is because during this period materials such as glass, bronze, steel and wrought iron, which were rarely used and expensive to obtain previously, became more accessible to more people.

In practice, this meant the emergence of buildings with strong classical or baroque characteristics, for example, but with elements that were quite new for the time.

Such as bronze sculptures, constructions with exposed iron, better-produced ceiling structures, glass works with more details, elaborate stained glass windows...

Other characteristics of this period were the mixture of at least two different styles, the presence of iron in the buildings, a greater concern with the interior design of the works, luxury and grandeur in the projects, symmetry and precision in the constructions.

Eclectic style in Brazilian architecture and downtown São Paulo

Brazil, although at the beginning of the industrial revolution it was still under Portuguese rule, at the beginning of the 19th century it also adopted the eclectic style under the influence of immigrants.

One of the great examples of this style in the capital of São Paulo is the work of the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo. Founded in 1903, with eclecticism in vogue, according to information from the space itself, the creators of the theater mixed the Renaissance style with the Baroque and Art Nouveau.

Luz Station, with its well-worked exposed iron structures, opened in 1901, is another good example of this style in the capital. According to scholars, it has influences from the Renaissance and Classical styles, but with the “ostentatious” and detailed touch of the eclecticism of the time.

There is also the Palace of Industries, the Municipal Market of São Paulo, the Paulista Museum, the Caetano de Campos Normal School, the Casa das Rosas, the Martinelli Building and the Michel Assad Residence with eclectic characteristics.

However, it is possible to perceive the style in several buildings in the Center, observing the construction details, such as the classical structure of some works with the presence of elements such as sculptures and highly worked stained glass windows.

Art Deco style

In the transition after the strong presence of the eclectic style in Europe, in the 1920s the Art Deco style arrived with force. The milestone occurred in 1925, in Paris, France, during the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts.

The name art deco, in fact, is an abbreviation of the French “arts decoratiques”. The style was not restricted to architecture, but indicated all artistic and decorative work in fashion, design, jewelry and furniture, for example.

At first, the style was extremely luxurious and used precious jewels and silver in its various decorative elements. Later, with the industrialization of the production of pieces, it began to use other less noble materials and became accessible to more people.

Some very present characteristics are the luxuriousness of the projects, abstract design, symmetry in the constructions, use of many geometric shapes in straight or circular lines, use of materials such as steel, aluminum, ivory and lacquer, strong and bright colors ...

Art Deco style in Brazilian architecture and downtown São Paulo

It was in the 1930s that the style arrived in Brazil with force, although it had already made its first appearances in the 1920s.

One example of works from this period in the city of São Paulo is the Monument to the Bandeiras, from 1953. There is also the Viaduto do Chá, which was built in the 19th century. However, in the 1930s it was completely remodeled in the art deco style, as a way of taking on the “face” of the time.

Another example is the Pacaembu stadium. Opened in 1940, the stadium's façade features large, spaced letters and columns and geometric shapes that are very characteristic of the period.

The former Banco de São Paulo building is another building built in the art deco style and considered a “masterpiece” by many architects. It is one of the best examples of the style in the country.

The façade features straight, vertical lines and fan-shaped patterns. Inside, the building has portals in marble, granite and terrazzo, Roman sandstone mosaics, artistic iron and bronze metalwork, and alabaster and crystal chandeliers.

It is no wonder that the building has appeared in several film scenes and television commercials. A true “star”.

These are very common features found in many buildings in São Paulo, especially in the city's Historic Center. Many of them are listed for their unique art deco architectural features.

Buildings in this style are most easily found in Higienópolis, Vila Buarque and Santa Cecília, but can be seen throughout the city.

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