L Klabin | Perkins&Will São Paulo

Perkins&Will Applies Dynamic Mashrabiya Facades in L Klabin, a Residential Project for Paes & Gregori in Chácara Klabin

The signature of Perkins&Will stands out in the landscape of Chácara Klabin, one of the most valued neighborhoods in the southern zone of São Paulo, in a residential project for Paes & Gregori titled L Klabin. In the context of this project, the "L" assumes the role of a Roman numeral fifty in reference to the 50 years of the neighborhood and also alludes to the design of the terraces of the units, which take on the shape of an "L" in their composition.

With 24 floors and 3 garage pavements, the building has two active facades facing the two lot fronts, one placed in Luis Molina Street and the other in Pedro Pomponazzi Street. There are 38 standard apartments of 193.42 m² each, as well as 2 garden apartments and 2 duplexes. The ground floor houses common spaces, including the entrance hall, concierge, coworking space, gym, spa, playground, swimming pool, and party hall.

The facades features sliding mashrabiya panels, applied on the outside and pivoting on the ground floor. With a height of about 7 meters, the panels were fixed on a metal and concrete structure with telescopic adjustment to allow the structures to work in relation to structural accommodation and thermal variations without affecting the operation of the panels. They play a relevant role in sustainability performance, regulating the entry of light and heat and making the building less dependent on the use of air conditioning.

Before resorting to this solution, alternative materials such as wood, perforated sheets, traditional metalwork, aluminum frame profile, aluminum ceiling system, aluminum brise-soleil, and aluminum grating system were studied, as well as colors, textures, and hardware. The choice fell on the aluminum brise-soleil with square modulation and double finish because of its light weight and low maintenance.

Flexible Layouts

Flexibility is the essence of L Klabin, whose units are designed for customization. The distribution of the installations' risers was strategically designed to allow for plant flexibility. Thus, the internal layout determines walls unrelated to the building's structure, allowing for the rearrangement or removal of divisions for numerous variations. All areas of the apartment have direct and cross ventilation, without the need for exhaust fans, and there are individual barbecue areas on each of the balconies.

The main element of the project is exposed concrete, which required extensive research on structural forms and use in mashrabiya panels, demanding mockups for studies of functionality and durability. The material dialogues with finishes in shades of wood, present in frames, panels, and pergolas, as well as transparent glass - all classic materials in Brazilian architecture. The lighting design was thought to discreetly enhance the textures of concrete, architectural elements, and vegetation.

Local Context

The implementation of L Klabin in a wooded area led to the requirement for planting compensation and maintenance of permeable areas and native vegetation. On the one hand, this issue represented a challenge for the design team, but on the other hand, it contributed to qualifying the final result, which became greener and endowed with natural elements. The garage pavements had to be reduced in perimeter, and because of this, an additional floor was needed to accommodate parking spaces and technical areas. This additional excavation doubled the work of stabilizing the land and foundations. Intensive collaboration in the BIM (Building Information Modeling) models and the active interference of architecture in structural design enriched the project.

The subdivision that gave rise to Chácara Klabin neighborhood was started in 1970 by the Klabin family, the controlling entity of the company of the same name and owner of a large area on-site. The horizontal residences that marked the landscape in the early decades gave way to an intense process of verticalization from the 1990s. In 2006, the Chácara Klabin subway station was inaugurated, further boosting the region's growth. L Klabin further qualifies its surroundings, widening sidewalks, preserving trees, and respecting neighboring heights.