corten steel brise-soleils shield low-rise office building by perkins&will in são paulo

Gabriel Faria Lima Corporate office building by Perkins&Will

Gabriel Faria Lima Corporate is a single-occupancy office building in São Paulo, designed by Perkins&Will, that proposes an alternative to conventional high-rise corporate typologies. Rather than adopting a vertical glass tower model, the project responds to the scale, regulations, and residential character of its surroundings, establishing a low-rise architectural presence integrated with the urban landscape.

The building is located on Alameda Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, a street recognized as a central hub for Brazilian design, connecting the financial corridors of Avenida Paulista and Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima. The neighborhood is predominantly residential and subject to strict limitations on building height and typology, making contextual integration a key factor in the design approach.

The project consists of two upper floors supported by a permeable ground level defined by concrete pilotis and glass panels. This configuration strengthens visual and physical connections between interior and exterior spaces while allowing landscaping to extend through the site. Large, uninterrupted floor plates provide flexibility for office layouts and maintain a continuous relationship with the surrounding vegetation.

all images by Pedro Mascaro unless stated otherwise

a context-driven alternative to high-rise office typologies

Privacy and solar control are achieved through Corten steel brise-soleils, which also define the building’s edge along the sidewalk. Studio Perkins&Will utilizes these elements to establish a consistent facade rhythm through vertical metal fins that frame expansive windows and regulate daylight entry. Soft stone walls further articulate the building envelope, contributing to material continuity and referencing local architectural traditions.

Landscaping plays a central role in the project, reinforcing the integration of the building with its context and enhancing the environmental quality of the site. The garden areas contribute to thermal comfort and visual continuity between the building and the neighborhood.

Designed as a corporate boutique, the project reinterprets the corner lot by aligning architectural scale, materiality, and spatial organization with the surrounding Jardins district. The result is a contemporary office building that prioritizes contextual response, flexibility, and integration with nature while meeting the functional demands of a corporate environment.

Gabriel Faria Lima Corporate is a single-occupancy office building by Perkins&Will

the project proposes an alternative to conventional high-rise office typologies

a permeable ground level is defined by concrete pilotis and glass panels | image by Pablo Castro

interior and exterior spaces are visually and physically connected | image by Pablo Castro

tthe building is integrated into the existing urban landscape | image by Pablo Castro

corten steel brise-soleils provide privacy and solar control | image by Pablo Castro

vertical metal fins establish a consistent facade rhythm | image by Pablo Castro

soft stone walls and columns articulate the building envelope | image by Pablo Castro

landscaping extends through the site at ground level | image by Pablo Castro

architecture, materiality, and landscape align with the Jardins district context

project info:

name: Gabriel Faria Lima Corporate

architect: Perkins&Will | @perkinswill_br

client: Jaguari

location: São Paulo, Brazil

photographer: Pedro Mascaro | @pedro.mascaro, Pablo Castro | @pcastrophoto

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom