380 m² apartment is both a home and an art gallery at the same time

In the Bela Vista neighborhood of São Paulo, this apartment of 4,090 sq ft was renovated to serve a dual purpose: to be a home and an art gallery. Designed by architect Pedro Coimbra – part of the CASACOR São Paulo lineup – the project balances the functionality of a family space with the sophistication of a collection worthy of international museums. The owners, a couple of lawyers and collectors (he is a curator at MAM-RJ and Tate Modern London) wanted a functional apartment for the family, with two children and a travel routine while also having an exhibition space for their works. The biggest challenge was to create a fluid layout, allowing circulation to value the pieces without compromising the residents' living experience. To achieve this, Coimbra structured a layout that respects the gallery concept, using woodworking to provide discreet storage and preserve the prominence of the art. The apartment already functioned as an exhibition space, so meticulous adjustments were necessary to enhance the visitor experience without visual interference. Each room has its own character. The 1.20 m wide corridor takes on the appearance of a gallery, guiding the eye along a collection curated by the residents themselves. Meanwhile, the living room, the heart of the project, was conceived as a dense exhibition, where the profusion of works creates an immersive projects. In the bedrooms, the premise was the opposite: the subtlety of the furniture acts as a backdrop for the exhibited pieces, making each space a refuge that breathes art. The kitchen, in turn, received a vibrant touch, being the only area where the woodworking gained color, contrasting with the rest of the apartment and bringing warmth to the living space. Furniture reflects the harmony between design and art. Pieces by Claudia Moreira Salles, Italian sofas and Brazilian creations like those by Abraham Palatinik share space with Scandinavian design. In the office, the woodworking stands out as an artwork in itself. The couple's closet was designed as a dark wood box, reinforcing the atmosphere of a private gallery. The finishes were chosen with the same aesthetic rigor that governs the artistic curation of the apartment. The flooring preserves the original wood: peroba-do-campo in the bedrooms and dark wood in the living room, keeping the history of the property alive.

The hall and the restroom showcase the original marble from the building, a rare and practically irreplaceable material. In the wet areas, tiles recall the classic São Paulo style, while the Italian-designed metals add sophistication to the details. The civil work presented challenges to match the grandeur of the project. The apartment, previously a gallery, had no electrical outlet installed. The electrical and hydraulic systems needed to be done from scratch, respecting the arrangement of the pieces and the conceived layout. Given the value of the artworks, transporting and reinstalling the pieces was not a viable option. The solution? During the renovation, Coimbra proposed to shield the living and dining rooms, creating a kind of temporary safe to protect the artworks while the renovation progressed in the rest of the property. Only at the final stage, the partitions were removed, revealing the collection in its entirety once again. To ensure timely delivery, four woodworking shops were simultaneously engaged: one for the kitchen, another for wooden cabinets, a third for white cabinets, and the last for lacquer pieces. This strategy allowed different fronts to work in parallel without interference, optimizing the process. Today, the apartment continues to fulfill its hybrid function, hosting exhibitions and events, as well as being the family's safe haven in São Paulo. With each dinner, the arrangement of artworks generates new conversations and attentive looks. The fusion of architecture, art, and daily life makes this space not just a residence but a constantly transforming experience.