You, Perdizes, designed at Perkins&Will’s São Paulo studio and developed by You,inc for its “You” apartment series, takes advantage of the evolving professional lifestyle and zoning laws in São Paulo to seize on a trend of compact urban housing that builds on the advantages of nearby public transit and shared amenity spaces.
The bold façade framework and black-and-white color contrast are inspired by the body paintings of Brazil’s indigenous Tupi-Guarani people, as the building is located on Bartira Street, named after a famous member of the tribe. The ground floor has no railing or gates, and it flows directly into the sidewalk to facilitate spaces for meetings.
The building’s “studio+” units only measure between approximately 250 and 355 square feet in size, but feature 12-foot-high ceilings to allow for improved ventilation and natural lighting, as well as a greater sense of open space. Two-bedroom units are also available, measuring nearly 700 square feet in size.
You, Perdizes’ amenity arrangement is designed to reconnect its residents with the urban fabric, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of the common areas, including the pool, laundry, fitness, and co-working spaces, are located on the semi-enclosed rooftop to better leverage its 360-degree views of the city.
“This is a smart architecture solution, based on naval engineering, where every centimeter is valued,” says Douglas Tolaine, the project’s leader and the design director of Perkins&Will’s São Paulo studio. “Before the pandemic, people were increasingly connected to the street and the public space, rescuing social contacts. I believe that, with the safe end of social isolation, this can be strongly restored.”