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Berrini 901 – Retrofit
Av. Engenheiro Luís Carlos Berrini, São Paulo, Brasil
Berrini 901, located on Avenida Engenheiro Luís Carlos Berrini in the Brooklin Novo district, is the result of the transformation of a former corporate building into a contemporary residential development. The project was based on the full reuse of the existing structure, which reduced carbon emissions and allowed for a faster construction process, enhancing delivery without compromising architectural quality.
The transformation of the building also reflects changes in the area’s pattern of occupation, which has seen growing demand for residential units and new ways of inhabiting the Berrini axis. The conversion is pioneering in the region, and the building is the first residential development along this stretch of the avenue. As such, the project contributes to the diversification of uses in an area traditionally characterized by office buildings and the urban challenges associated with low functional diversity, such as highly concentrated peak circulation periods.
The defining intervention was the creation of a metal exoskeleton that wraps the building. This solution added external slabs and enabled the introduction of continuous balconies with planters, elements that give the complex a new residential identity. In addition to housing air-conditioning condensers, these balconies strengthen the relationship between interior and exterior spaces and increase the building’s permeability to cross ventilation. The modulation of openings and new external areas was guided by the expansive views of the region, enhancing natural daylight and taking advantage of the building’s elevated position along the Berrini axis.
At ground level, leisure and communal areas are integrated with gardens and spaces for staying, forming an active and permeable plane that establishes a closer dialogue with the urban surroundings. This configuration reinforces the idea of a ground floor that welcomes pedestrians and contributes to the vitality of the area.
Berrini 901 exemplifies a growing movement toward the requalification of existing buildings in the city. The project demonstrates how precise architectural solutions can adapt pre-existing structures to meet contemporary housing demands, contributing in a sustainable and intelligent way to the future of urban living.
