Bio Jardins
Located on one of São Paulo’s most prominent avenues, Av. Rebouças, this award-winning tower’s wood cladding and abundant landscaping give it a dramatically different appearance from most of the city’s corporate buildings. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide abundant natural light and views to some of the city’s liveliest areas. The intensive use of biophilic design promotes connections with nature and results in a healthier, more welcoming environment that stimulates occupants’ well-being, creativity, and productivity. Commercial spaces on the ground floor open the building to passers-by, connecting the tower to the street and helping revitalize pedestrian traffic.
We created BioCorporate Rebouças to promote synergy between people, the workplace, and the urban environment. The 60-meter-tall boutique building is smaller than other developments under construction in the area, between Chabad and Dr. Melo Alves streets, but its distinctive façade unites concrete, wood, and vegetation in a refreshing departure from the usual mirrored corporate buildings. The concrete slabs and wooden louvers pay homage to the Brutalist architectural style popular in the 1970s and 80s, but with a modern feel.
The biophilic design features wood and abundant vegetation. “The idea was to connect the corporate environment to nature. We use balconies with medium-sized plants and wooden louvers to warm the interiors and create a welcoming, contemplative atmosphere,” explains Douglas Tolaine, the studio’s design director.
In addition to its natural elements, the design stands out for its organic form and dynamic façade. The staggered balconies on each floor and the distance between the louvers give the building a more natural appearance. “We use the elements to emphasize verticality and magnificence in a building that is not so big and doesn’t even occupy a large area. Thus, we give the feeling of height in a tower built at the limit of its constructive constraints,” Tolaine says.
BioCorporate also brings biophilia indoors. The floors have exposed concrete columns, wooden ceilings, and vegetation, which connect back to nature. The tower also has three double-height floors with expansive views of Av. Rebouças and the gardens.
The openness of the ground floor builds connections with the sidewalk and neighboring buildings, and the project should improve security and bring more pedestrians to the area. “The revitalization of Rebouças aims to bring the sidewalks back to life. The ground floor is one of the best tools to connect people with the urban space, which has been lost for so long on this avenue,” Tolaine says.