PROJECT STATEMENT

This garden is a contemporary space in sync with Brazilian tropical heritage. It harmonizes a floating garden amidst water, lush greenery with bold, clean constructed elements.

PROJECT NARRATIVE

Located in São Paulo, a dazzling and multicultural megalopolis, yet so lacking in green spaces, this garden serves as an entrance to a former ambulatory building turned into a venue for events.

The terrain, with an approximate area of 450m², is a stage to an interactive and contemplative garden, meant to stimulate the senses once one enters the space.The visitor is welcomed by a tunnel, above a sleek metallic pergola, on one side a lush vertical garden comprised mainly by native tropical plants and on the other side a brise soleil revealing a first glance to the garden. This tunnel, purposely with a subtle incidence of natural light, gives a mysterious atmosphere and expectative to its end, where the whole space will be revealed for contemplation.

At the center of garden, there is an extensive reflecting pool, layed with black pebbles that were made from ceramic waste, specially developed for this project with the manufacturer . Floating steps invites the visitor to give a closer look to the garden "islands" in the middle of the reflecting pool, as well as an ecological fireplace.

On the other perspective, the garden proposes a resting spot with benches layed with porcelain tiles, a spot that provides a soothing atmosphere for relaxation. The flooring porcelain tiles have an auto cleaning technology and they were used for its low maintenance and to avoid the use of natural stone.

Brazil is the only country named after a tree, surprisingly unknown to many of its residents, so the project properly honors this iconic tree, by planting them in harmony with the surrounding existing canopy. Needless to say they were locally grown in nurseries, and our intention was to elucidate the visitor to use and admire Brazilian native trees, so often overlooked. All bushes and groundcovers, also grown locally, are low water consuming since they’re adaptable to the local climate. Rainwater is used for irrigation and for the reflecting pool, and LED lighting provides low energy consumption.