Edifício Waldyr Beira | Perkins&Will São Paulo

Perkins&Will Innovates in Corporate Building with Double-Height Floors and Transparent Façade on Avenida Rebouças

The Waldyr Beira Building, developed by Perkins&Will São Paulo for the Construtora e Incorporadora Pedra Forte, brings an innovative proposition to the corporate building segment. Located in one of the most valued regions of São Paulo's capital, Rebouças Avenue, the single-tower development has 22 corporate floors with nearly 6 meters of double-height. "This is a strategy to vertically expand the constructive potential while maintaining the floor area, thus providing a breathtaking view of the tree-lined horizon of Jardins neighborhood," says Douglas Tolaine, Design Principal of the studio. The landscape can be admired right from the first floor, positioned at the level of the treetops.

The 1,711 m2 plot accommodates three basements, a lobby, and duplex floors of 680 m2 that can be divided into two sets each. As a differential, they have a span of 17 meters between the pillars, contributing to the creation of the most diverse layouts – a rare flexibility among corporate buildings. "We wanted to be bold, developing the concept with the structural calculation team to deliver something very different from what exists in the market," explains Marcelo Zanotti, partner and technical director of Pedra Forte.

To make the implementation viable, prestressed slabs were applied, differing from traditional reinforced concrete slabs. While in the traditional type the reinforcement supports the load passively, the prestressed slab has an active reinforcement, with tensions applied in advance to the tendons to increase their strength. This also means a greater slab thickness, about 30 cm, which required the use of a flying formwork system to ensure a more agile advancement of the concreting cycles. In this modality, the forms are assembled on the first floor in a fragmented way and moved to the upper floors with the aid of a crane and aluminum trusses, allowing for rapid repositioning for the following stages. Another important point to highlight in this corporate building is the structural issue. "Exposed beams, present in 90% of corporate floors, often result in limiting solutions for infrastructure systems and future occupancy. Here, they were eliminated, and thus, the user has total capacity and freedom to enjoy the cubic meters of the floors in a rational and sensory way, which is very different from what the São Paulo market offers," comments Douglas Tolaine.

Authorial Metal Brises

The project brought the demand for brises made of Aluzinc, a material composed by aluminium and zinc, compatible with the extensive height of the floor. "We chose to develop the elements of this composition with a partner because we found nothing in the market that would meet our needs. It was something we had never done before," recalls Zanotti. The development team even dedicated itself to the design of perforation, fixing elements, and springs to ensure compliance with resistance standards. "The brises form a pattern, almost like fabric, enveloping the building so that it stands out for its unique identity," details Cesar Ramos, Senior Project Architect of Perkins&Will. "They also frame the façade of clear high-performance glass and reinforce the invitation to contemplate the exterior," he adds. The frames, accompanied by planters, also allow the opening of the glass for natural ventilation.

Regarding finishes, the option was for treated exposed concrete, applied both in slabs and pillars. Neutral and contemporary, it gives prominence to the view and requires minimal maintenance. Technical terraces accommodate VRF air-conditioning systems and electrical cabling, reducing the visual interference of equipment. In the common areas of the tower, we chose gray slate placed in irregularly shaped planks. A building that values simplicity and the minimalism of materials, reinforcing its unique and differentiated identity.

Sustainability in Harmony with the Surroundings

The Waldyr Beira building is next to another future launch by the developer in partnership with Perkins&Will, composing a rich and harmonious architectural ensemble. Two active façades – one facing Rebouças Avenue and the other facing the interior of the Pinheiros neighborhood, in São Paulo – add services in a space of 860 m2, offering more convenience to pedestrians and building users.

Also on the ground floor, continuing the connection between internal and external environments, the architecture team proposed the creation of an art gallery where wooden walls will host art exhibitions, combining permanent and temporary works, all accessible to public visitation. The white metal ceiling and basalt stone floor complement the exhibition space, where a counter, with a wooden body and a white marble base, welcomes visitors. From there, five elevator towers lead users to the other floors.

The Waldyr Beira building is located between the Faria Lima and Fradique Coutinho stations of Line 4-Yellow of the subway, taking advantage of the comprehensive public transportation structure that also includes bus corridors and a cycle path. Because of this, the building has a bicycle rack and complete changing rooms. Following rigorous sustainability and energy efficiency precepts, there are also presence sensors for lighting activation, water-saving and reuse systems, with flow restrictors and dual-flush toilets. Part of the saved resources is directed to cleaning common areas and also to the maintenance of landscaping and green spaces, concentrated on the lateral and rear portion of the building, facing Capitão Prudente Street. In landscaping, native vegetation species stand out, which develop more easily in Brazilian climates.