São Paulo 472 years: a look at the city through its architecture

Among the many striking characteristics that make the city of São Paulo unique, architecture stands out prominently. With iconic buildings that have transformed not only the urban landscape but also impacted the lives of the people around them, the capital of São Paulo is a vibrant metropolis that continues to grow. On this 472nd anniversary, you can celebrate São Paulo in various ways, and one of them is to take an architectural tour. Check out our suggestions below!

Biblioteca de São Paulo

The Biblioteca São Paulo, designed by aflalo/gasperini architects, was installed where the Carandiru Prison Complex once operated. In fact, the entire area changed its appearance and was renamed Parque da Juventude. An interesting fact is that the construction of the library contributed to the urban impact of this revitalization, extending beyond the neighborhood's boundaries, bringing people from all over the city to enjoy the new park. With a vast area bathed in zenithal lighting, the building has great flexibility in its internal layout. The furniture has colorful tones, and playful silkscreens were proposed on the glass to create a more intimate space for readers and researchers.

Av. Cruzeiro do Sul, 2630, Santana

Galeria Metrópole

In downtown São Paulo, the Galeria Metrópole is now a haven for new designers emerging in the market. The building, featuring a huge garden in its central atrium, is also an architectural gem of the city, located next to the Biblioteca Mário de Andrade and facing Avenida São Luís. Signed by Gian Carlo Gasperini and Salvador Candia, the project from the 1950s planned the construction of a commercial gallery on the lower floors, over which an office tower would be erected. Today, the building operates with shops throughout.

Av. São Luís, 187, República

Cinemateca de São Paulo

The group of exposed brick buildings draws attention in Vila Mariana, which currently houses the Cinemateca Brasileira. The project is authored by German architect Alberto Kuhlmann. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the site housed São Paulo's last slaughterhouse, which ceased operations in 1927. Only in 1985 was the listing process for the complex finalized by Condephaat, and in 1988, it was granted to the Cinemateca Brasileira when architects Lúcio Gomes Machado and Eduardo de Jesus Rodrigues began working on a restoration project. It's worth checking out the schedule and visiting the space, which still features a pleasant garden!

Largo Senador Raul Cardoso, 207, Vila Mariana

Japan House

A pulsating cultural center on Avenida Paulista, the Japan House attracts attention due to its curious facade. Designed by the FGMF office — comprising Fernando Forte, Lourenço Gimenes, and Rodrigo Marcondes Ferraz — in partnership with renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the building formerly belonged to a bank. To mark the new phase of the property, the architects created a wooden façade and used washi (Japanese paper) in the interiors. Made of cypress supported by carbon fiber, the façade represents a forest that emerged in the urban environment.

Avenida Paulista, 52, Bela Vista

Galeria do Rock

Point for those who enjoy music and pop culture in general, the Galeria do Rock, in downtown São Paulo, was designed by architects Maria Bardelli and Ermanno Siffredi, Italian expatriates in Brazil, in 1962. With around 450 stores, the space features the most notable characteristic being the undulating recesses that give movement to the façade. Inside, there are large open spaces between the floors. In the 1970s, the gallery fell into decline. The change came through music, as record shops began to settle in the area, some of which remain there today, such as Baratos Afins.

Av. São João, 439, República

Sesc 24 de Maio

Another must-see attraction in downtown São Paulo is the Sesc 24 de maio, designed by master Paulo Mendes da Rocha and the MMBB Architects office. With floors interconnected by ramps, the building, which used to house the old Mescla, underwent a transformation aimed at keeping pace with the city's development and, according to the professionals, accommodating changes in societal customs and lifestyles. Inaugurated in 2017, this Sesc unit includes recreational facilities and services, as well as being an excellent example of transformation in constructed urban projects.

Rua 24 de maio, 109, República

Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo

Last year, the Pinacoteca de São Paulo celebrated its 120th anniversary, establishing itself as one of the most important and respected art museums in Brazil and Latin America. Founded in 1905 and located in Jardim da Luz, in the central region, it was originally designed in the late 19th century to house the Liceu de Artes e Ofícios. The building, credited to Ramos de Azevedo, is an example of eclectic architecture, with elements of neoclassicism. In the 1990s, the Pinacoteca underwent one of the most significant renovations in its history, led by architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha. The project integrated exhibition spaces with more light, circulation, and dialogue between the old and the contemporary. In 2023, the museum gained a new building, the Pina Contemporânea, designed by Arquitetos Associados.

Praça da Luz, 2, Luz

Edifício Lausanne

The Edifício Lausanne is actually a set of two identical buildings with a common garden in front. It is the first residential project designed by German architect Franz Heep, who created it for Construtora Auxiliar in 1958 — a time when apartments began to be valued as living spaces. Heep worked with renowned architect Jacques Pilon. At Lausanne, the windows are covered with iron sheets that filter sunlight and have been painted in alternating colors — green, red, beige, and white. An emblematic example of Brazilian modern architecture.

Avenida Higienópolis, 101, Higienópolis

Sesc Pompéia

The Sesc Pompeia is a true landmark of Brazilian architecture and a symbolic space for the city of São Paulo. Inaugurated in the 1980s, the project bears the signature of Lina Bo Bardi, one of the most important architects in the country's history. With a humanized and accessible perspective, Lina transformed an old factory complex into a plural , where culture, leisure, and community coexist in perfect harmony. The elevated walkways, exposed concrete blocks, and open spaces instinctively interact with the visitor, inviting interaction and collective use.

Rua Clélia, 93, Água Branca

Memorial da América Latina

Inaugurated in 1989, one of the most famous convention centers in São Paulo is a creation of Oscar Niemeyer. The project of the Memorial da América Latina was born with the aim of creating a venture that would serve as a hub for social, cultural, and political integration among Latin American countries. The invitation for Niemeyer came from the then governor of the State of São Paulo, Orestes Quércia.

Av. Mário de Andrade, 664, Barra Funda

IMS Paulista

Designed by the office Andrade Morettin Arquitetos Associados, the IMS São Paulo was inaugurated in 2017 and spans 6,000 square meters on Avenida Paulista. The building has nine floors, with three exhibition rooms, a cinema-auditorium for 150 people, a study space, three classrooms for lectures and courses, a café, and a restaurant run by chef Rodrigo Oliveira.

Avenida Paulista, 2424, Bela Vista

MASP

One of the most emblematic examples of modern Brazilian architecture, the Museum of Art of São Paulo (MASP) was designed by Lina Bo Bardi and inaugurated in 1968. It is famous for its innovative structure suspended by four pillars, creating a large open space on Avenida Paulista that functions as a public square, in addition to the striking glass easels inside that revolutionized art exhibition by allowing free circulation of visitors. Recently, a new building, Pietro Maria Bardi, with a retrofit signed by Metro Arquitetos, was inaugurated in 2024, doubling the exhibition area and connecting to the original building via an underground tunnel, maintaining the architectural language and functionality.

Av. Paulista, 1578, Bela Vista

Vertical Itaim

In Itaim, a small building with only ten apartments stands out in the landscape. Designed by studio mk27, the project combines simplicity and the search for generous spaces in a careful composition of materials. The façade is made of exposed reinforced concrete and wooden panels, designed to shade the internal projects — residents can move them as desired. This way, it is possible to optimize the thermal comfort of the projects depending on usage and sunlight incidence.

Rua Salvador Cardoso, 20, Itaim

Casa Modernista da rua Santa Cruz

In Vila Mariana, the Modernist House on Santa Cruz Street was designed by Ukrainian architect Gregori Warchavchik in 1927 and built in 1928. It is considered the first modernist residence in Brazil and was created to be the home of the architect and his family. The project made a strong impact on opinion makers and critics at the time, largely due to its lack of excessive ornamentation, a common trait of the period when it was built.

Rua Santa Cruz, 325, Vila Mariana

Biblioteca Brasiliana Guita e José Midlin

The architects Eduardo de Almeida and Rodrigo Mindlin Loeb are responsible for the design of the Biblioteca Brasiliana, which spans more than 20,000 square meters and houses a rare collection of 17 thousand titles at the University of São Paulo. At the end of 1999, bibliophile José Mindlin passed on to his grandson, Rodrigo, and friend, Eduardo, a mission: to carry out the project for the library that would house his book collection, which is considered the largest private collection in Brazil, donated to USP. Mindlin passed away in February 2010, at the age of 95, while the work was progressing. The building was inspired by renowned foreign libraries, such as the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University in the United States and the Saint Geneviève Library in Paris, France.

Rua da Biblioteca, 21, Vila Universitária