The program of the new headquarters of the Brincante Institute includes an auditorium for approximately 80 people, a rehearsal room, an administrative area, and enough storage room for musical instruments, costumes, and props.
The architectural concept emphasizes direct communication between the building and the street, strengthening its relationship to the
neighborhood, Vila Madalena, where the Institute has been located for decades.
At the street level, the transition between public and private spaces occurs through vertical wooden brise-soleils that aim at exposing pedestrians to the cultural environment within the Institute.
The main entrance creates a flexible open space where the box office and an access tunnel to the auditorium are located. The helical staircase on the left side connects three levels: ground floor, mezzanine, and upper deck.
The mezzanine serves as a transition and gathering space connected to the auditorium. It also serves as an extension of the ground floor foyer, allowing direct access to the seats located on the upper level and to a bridge created over the stage area. This bridge expands the capacity of the auditorium and enables artistic interventions in two levels while giving access to a garden on the back of the stage.
The upper deck is composed of meeting and dressing rooms, an office and small kitchen, and a multipurpose room, which opens up to a large glass window that is partially shaded by the wooden skin of the building and by the slanted roof.
Project Info:Architects: Bernardes Arquitetura
Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Area: 342 m²
Project Year: 2016
Photographs: Leonardo Finotti
















Sophie Tremblay is a Montreal-based architectural editor and designer with a focus on sustainable urban development. A McGill University architecture graduate, she began her career in adaptive reuse, blending modern design with historical structures. As a Project Editor at Arch2O, she curates stories that connect traditional practice with forward-thinking design. Her writing highlights architecture's role in community engagement and social impact. Sophie has contributed to Canadian Architect and continues to collaborate with local studios on community-driven projects throughout Quebec, maintaining a hands-on approach that informs both her design sensibility and editorial perspective.






