The project in Harmonia Street by Triptyque Architecture is a unique view of what it is called a “living building”. Located in the west side of São Paulo, a neighbourhood where artistic life and creativity is in constant evolution, the street is a hub for galleries and urban walls functioning as a canvas for new cultural expression. The alleyway in front of the building is an example – covered in graffiti, an art form well represented in São Paulo.
Like a living body, the building breathes and has clever dynamic design solutions. The walls are thick and covered externally by a plant layer that works like the skin of the structure. This dense wall is made of an organic concrete that has pores, where several plant species grow, giving the facades a unique look.
In this great architectural space the rain and soil waters are collected, treated and reused – forming a complex ecosystem.
The interior spaces are carefully finished with clear and luminous surfaces, as if the construction was inside out. The pipelines that serve the whole building – as well as the pumps and the water treatment system – are exposed in the exterior walls, which host them like veins and arteries of a body.
The aesthetics of the building are a result of this “living” process – the structure is rough and has a primitive elegance – a reflection of the actual concern with environmental issues and the investigation of ways to intervene in its present positive role to the urban environment.
The terraces are spread out on each floor, creating a visual game between volumes, light and transparency in the internal spaces. The frontal block is completely suspended, “levitating” over stilts, while the back block is solid, complemented by a birdhouse-like structure on the top.
Landscaper: Peter Webb
Project Manager: Tiago Guimarães
Credits: Nelson Kon, Triptyque, Beto Consorte, Leonardo Finotti, Ricardo Bassetti
Written by François Correia
