Guarapari Apartment, The renovation of an apartment built in the 1970s in São Paulo aimed to adapt it to the needs of a young family. The original floor plan by architect Ruy Ohtake was restored and given specific updates – to enhance the programmatic aspects of this modernist dwelling.
© Pedro Kok
On the other hand, the materiality of the spaces received a new approach. The curved wall that surrounds the dining and living room has had its top detached from the ceiling and has been finished in tauari wood panels. A discreet passageway was opened in it, connecting it to the kitchen. The amber film on the windows has been maintained, so that the living spaces are illuminated by a soft warm color, amplified in the satin white planes and wooden furniture and the elements designed in anodized aluminum, such as the suspended linear lamp and the dining table.
© Pedro Kok
A white concrete slab runs along the edges of the living room and office, reappearing in the bar worktop. A rough texture was applied to the ceiling, a reminder of the domestic ambiance of São Paulo architecture from the period of the original project. The kitchen and laundry room received stainless steel worktops and light-colored furniture, contrasting with the rest of the apartment. On the intimate balcony, which can only be accessed from the bedrooms, there are pink ceramic tiles and smooth benches for fun activities. These are welcoming spaces that filter and soften the pulse of the bustling metropolis around them.
Project Info
Architects: Arquipélago Arquitetos, Pianca Arquitetura
Country: Brazil, Bela Vista
Area: 1345 ft²
Year: 2022
Photographs: Pedro Kok
Construction: Arquipélago e Pianca Arquitetura
Woodwork: AJ Marcenaria e Decorações
Locksmith: R&A Serralheria fina e Estrutural
Ceramic Tablets: Keramika
Lead Architects: Guilherme Pianca, Luis Tavares, Marinho Velloso
Isabelle Laurent is a Built Projects Editor at Arch2O, recognized for her editorial insight and passion for contemporary architecture. She holds a Master’s in Architectural Theory from École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville. Before joining Arch2O in 2016, she worked in a Paris-based architectural office and taught as a faculty adjunct at the École Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris. Isabelle focuses on curating projects around sustainability, adaptive reuse, and urban resilience. With a background in design and communication, she brings clarity to complex ideas and plays a key role in shaping Arch2O’s editorial