280 Art Boulevard

São Paulo, Brazil

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280 Art Boulevard

São Paulo, Brazil

Firm

Zien

Type

Residential › Multi Unit Housing

STATUS

Under Construction

YEAR

2027

SIZE

100,000 sqft - 300,000 sqft

BUDGET

Undisclosed

This high-end residential project started through an important competition, which we won with a careful and innovative design developed in partnership with Gensler. The result of working in a multidisciplinary team, involving experts of different fields and through an intense process rooted in exploration and experimentation, was a memorable building, a sculpture within São Paulo’s urban landscape.

At 280 Art Boulevard, our goal was to create a building that would stand out in a truly unique way within its surroundings. The challenging geometry of the site, located on the threshold between two contrasting urban fabrics, and a demanding program, make this project an unrepeatable landmark for the city of São Paulo, and inspired us to deliver a design to honor this complex set of characteristics.

Located on Cidade Jardim Avenue, an area rich in cultural significance, the building is surrounded by important institutions such as Solar Fábio Prado, the Museum of Image and Sound (MIS), the Brazilian Sculpture Museum (MuBE), the Ema Klabin House Museum, and the Fulvio Pennacchi House Museum. Through an art program curated by Marc Pottier, the project integrates works of art throughout all common areas. Additionally, a sculpture to be installed at the focal point of the project will be selected through a competition, forming a new postcard for the city alongside the building’s form.

The building’s form is inspired by a loop, an infinity of 360˚ views, adapting to the site’s geometry and connecting two districts with opposing characteristics: one residential, calm and green, and the other dense, urbanized and vibrant. Variations in floor plans from level to level create a central canyon, enhancing the common areas and establishing a connection with the surrounding green areas and gardens. The landscaping of the stepped terraces, composed of native species, helps define the building’s contours and frames the surrounding views from within.

The geometry of the building widens at the base, narrows at mid-height, and expands again near the top, making each floor unique. This complex structure presented a significant challenge for the team, which was overcome using inclined columns that vary in diameter according to the building’s shape, and post-tensioned slabs, which eliminate intermediate supports and allow total freedom in floor plan configurations. Additionally, because the upper floors cantilever toward the interior side of the canyon, the building’s center of gravity had to be adjusted to ensure structural stability.

A dynamic shading veil modulates heat and light while maintaining transparency and a refined aesthetic. This system mitigates intense solar gain from both the western afternoon and eastern morning sun. The northern façade, exposed to consistent solar radiation, incorporates balcony overhangs and vertical garden planters to shade living and dining areas. The tower promotes natural cross-ventilation through strategically placed operable windows, channeling breezes through residential units and shared spaces. This envelope integrates high thermal mass materials with insulation to stabilize interior temperatures. Low-emissivity glazing, in combination with the dynamic veil, balances daylight access and solar control, reducing the need for artificial lighting.

Developed exclusively for this project with the aid of parametric tools, this system creates a dynamic pattern that reveals or conceals the interiors depending on the angle of view, ensuring privacy from passersby while allowing residents to maintain a clear view of the exterior.

With one apartment per floor, this project prioritizes residents’ wellbeing. The open-plan layout allows for infinite configurations, adapting to various uses as decades pass. Less internal walls and partitions enhance cross ventilation, while the operable envelope provides a strong connection to the outdoors and reduces the need for air-conditioning. A lush garden at the heart of the canyon brings nature closer to each resident and helps lower temperatures in the building’s common areas.