With an Athos Bulcão panel in the living room, apartment gets a design without the color white traduzido por: OPENROUTER

Designed by architect Cláudio Meirelles and inaugurated in 1975, the iconic Genève Building carries the purest modernism in its DNA. It was based on respect for this legacy that the office Hersen Mendes Arquitetura – from the CASACOR Brasília cast – developed the complete renovation of a duplex apartment in the building. The central challenge was twofold: to enhance the original elements of the construction — with a highlight on the exclusive Athos Bulcão panel present in each unit — and to reconfigure the original floor plan, previously very compartmentalized and with infrastructure limitations, to accommodate the routine of a couple with two daughters.

Projeto de Hersen Mendes. (Joana França/CASACOR)

The conceptual starting point was clear: the absolute refusal of white. Instead, colors and patterns were introduced with extreme intention throughout all projects, creating a harmonious, warm atmosphere full of personality.

Projeto de Hersen Mendes. (Joana França/CASACOR)

The iconic curved panel by Athos Bulcão, which embraces a pillar in the social area, was the starting point of the project. It guided the recovery of the library envisioned in the building's original design — a space that, in most Genève apartments, ended up losing its character over the years. There, the office resumed the initial proposal, creating a second room dedicated to reading, one of the great hobbies of the resident couple.

Projeto de Hersen Mendes. (Joana França/CASACOR)

In the social area, the floor plan underwent a strategic inversion to generously welcome residents and visitors. Right at the entrance, the sofas designed by the office itself stand out, flanked by the Mole Armchair by Sérgio Rodrigues and a sculpture by Ruy Ohtake, framed by the Bulcão panel.

Projeto de Hersen Mendes. (Joana França/CASACOR)

The kitchen, originally isolated in the service area, was integrated into the living room and gained a vibrant atmosphere, with pinkish, earthy and orange tones, patterned English wallpapers and a generous semicircular countertop. The floor and countertop appear as a monolithic and elegant counterpoint to the colorful patterns.

Projeto de Hersen Mendes. (Joana França/CASACOR)

The vertical circulation also gained prominence. The old staircase was stripped of its carpet, revealing the strength of the original concrete. To complement it, a guardrail in eggplant tone and integrated lighting were installed, solutions that enhance the double-height ceiling of the entrance and the verticality of the property.

Projeto de Hersen Mendes. (Joana França/CASACOR)

On the upper floor, the private area was completely redesigned to ensure independence and comfort. The master suite was repositioned and expanded, now featuring a closet and two independent bathrooms. A suite for the daughters, a guest room and a home office complete the floor, which also has direct access via the elevator. Regarding the restoration, a curved panel of original wood paneling was carefully recovered, contrasting with the new doors in bluish tones, which bring a contemporary freshness to the historic ensemble.

Projeto de Hersen Mendes. (Joana França/CASACOR)

In the home office, an exclusive tile — designed by Hersen Mendes Arquitetura and produced by Quina Azulejaria — pays a subtle tribute to the yellow brises of the façade and to the semicircles of the building's pilotis. The rug in the main living room, also of original design, evokes the contours of Lake Paranoá, in an affectionate reference to the regions of Brasília where the residents have lived. To tie together the concept of temporal continuity, the marbles chosen for the new project are exactly the same as those that make up the Athos Bulcão panel and the original façade of the Genève.

traduzido por: OPENROUTER