"
When we entered the space, my jaw dropped. The entire space was free, and I thought, 'How amazing!'". A resident of Conjunto Nacional for 21 years, Almir Soares had no idea that right there, on the mezzanine floor of the historic building, a few floors below his apartment, there was a space measuring
over 10,000 square meters that was completely unoccupied . The "box", as he calls it, was once occupied by a telemarketing company and, after the company relocated to the interior, it remained unused for 10 years. "There was talk that it would be a shopping mall. So I looked for information and found out that there was [an area of] 10,000 square meters there. So I thought, '
This is exactly what we need '". In addition to being a resident of the architectural symbol of the city of São Paulo, Almir is also the director of A4&Holofote Comunicação, the press office for
CASACOR São Paulo .
He was the one who suggested that CASACOR hold the 2022 edition at Conjunto Nacional. "I mentioned this in a meeting. Then I went to the administration and asked for a technical visit, and we went. And it was very interesting because I didn't even have an idea of the space. And from then on the team got in touch [with the administration] to make it viable." The occasion could not have been more special:
CASACOR São Paulo was celebrating its 35th anniversary , a milestone in the history of the show, which called for a location to match. In the heart of Avenida Paulista, the city of São Paulo's biggest tourist attraction, Conjunto Nacional has been a fixture in the city's landscape for over six decades. Opened to the public in 1956, it
occupies an entire block on Avenida Paulista , also bordering other well-known stretches of the city, such as Alameda Santos and Augusta and Padre João Manoel streets. The mixed-use project, designed by David Libeskind, houses a shopping arcade with shops, restaurants, bookstores and a movie theater on the ground floor; the other floors are reserved for a residential and a corporate area. The most distinctive aspect of the project is perhaps its
permeability in relation to the avenue , which allows pedestrians to cross from one block to the next without leaving the building, as if it were an extension of the street itself – which is reinforced even by the choice of flooring on the ground floor: Portuguese stone, the same as the sidewalk. "It is a historic building, well known, but even though it is well known,
its story needs to be told again, because many people did not know it. CASACOR played the role of
rediscovering Conjunto Nacional and showing this iconic building to the city", reflects Almir. In addition to all the architectural merits that alone justify the choice of the building for the special edition of CASACOR, the building also encapsulates the mindset of the brand's new phase:
more diverse, greener and more egalitarian ; and in the same year in which, after the pandemic period, the exhibition resumed its itinerant character with the proposal of
bringing new audiences and shedding light on different points of the city . And that is exactly what it did. "This place has become a link between CASACOR and the city of São Paulo; and thanks to its privileged location and easy access,
it has attracted a wider, more diverse and inclusive audience ", explains André Secchin, CEO of CASACOR.
And the marriage worked out very well: after the
first year , the exhibition returned for a second year, in 2023; and then for a third, in 2024. During this period, CASACOR promoted several actions that integrated its audience into the daily life of Conjunto Nacional. An example of this was the
exhibition celebrating the brand's 35th anniversary , which extended along the building's ramp, providing a true tour through the decades. More recently, the exhibition also set up, on the ground floor, the
exhibition “Conjunto Nacional: Patrimônio Arquitetônico de São Paulo” , which celebrated the building that served as its home for three editions.
From one house to another
"When CASACOR came here, it brought an audience – not only from the city of São Paulo, but from all over Brazil – to a space they would never have known before." This story is told by Andrea Vieira, chef at A Casa de Antônia, a restaurant located on the ground floor of Conjunto Nacional. Open since late 2022, the restaurant focuses on varied cuisines with a menu full of affectionate flavors. Head of A Casa and the kitchen, Andrea says that, although the show offers its own menu of restaurants within the event, the audience often extended their visit beyond the circuit. "I had a movement of people who came before CASACOR, had lunch and then went to the show. Or people who had just left CASACOR and wanted to have a coffee to continue chatting." Therefore, she states that in the two years that she shared the generous area of Conjunto Nacional with CASACOR, her business
not only attracted new business from the show, but also managed to retain customers who, in the past, would not have come naturally. "The visibility that CASACOR brings to the entire space is huge, because we are in a historic building that is often forgotten by the people of São Paulo. When CASACOR came here, it
made this location more accessible to people who would not naturally frequent Conjunto Nacional."
(Adriana Barbosa/CASACOR)
Business generation
For this reason, there were many requests to close deals during the exhibition period. "We had a
lot of commercial activity ; some important stores came here, and our offices were also busy again. Between one CASACOR and another, we received many requests for quotes or availability for corporate events, fashion shows and even concerts", he explains. One of the brands that is moving to Conjunto Nacional, for example, is Dexco, whose 4,000 square meter concept store will be spread over two floors in the building – a project scheduled for completion in 2025.
(Adriana Barbosa/CASACOR)
The positive impact that the exhibition has on business does not end after it closes, as Andrea explains. "We do not experience huge drops in revenue when the exhibition ends because CASACOR's customers continue to come to the restaurant to this day.
This is the gift that CASACOR leaves us ."
A trail of good stories
More than just business, CASACOR is made up of people. And wherever it goes, it leaves a
trail of good stories to tell. In the businesspeople, professionals in the field, celebrities, architecture enthusiasts and many other audiences who visited the show, CASACOR left a legacy of inspiration, connection and affection. For Andrea, "CASACOR's contribution was immense in
bringing people back to this place . The work it did here is irreversible". For Luis, the fascination with the revitalizing power of the show never loses its charm – even after three editions. "
CASACOR transformed this space , and those who come are amazed. When you look at what it is and then see what CASACOR has done... The transformation is unbelievable". And the work doesn't stop: in 2025, CASACOR São Paulo will have a new home, now in
Parque da Água Branca . A new edition, with the promise of
reconnecting with nature , in an address where a bucolic atmosphere survives amidst important cultural institutions, with 137 thousand square meters of green area, which, at the same time, emerges as a
vector of growth for the capital of São Paulo. "CASACOR has always been more than an exhibition; it is a
networking platform that connects not only the public, professionals and brands, but also different governmental and non-governmental entities", explains Secchin. In his words, CASACOR's goal is to act in
urban regeneration , "creating and promoting spaces that transcend their original use. We mobilize resources to
restructure these spaces and
attract new occupations . We are accelerating the desire to promote other events and activities, transforming the park into a true
hub of dynamism and innovation for São Paulo ", concludes the CEO.
