MCAA Arquitetos: Winner of World Design Awards 2024. Designing within an urban landscape presents a unique challenge, particularly when aiming to add a new building in a construction-saturated city. The project aimed to embody technology and sensory architecture, all while offering expansive views of São Paulo. Ultimately, this endeavor sought to create a connection between the project and its surroundings, a development that blends seamlessly with the cosmopolitan life.

In the city of São Paulo, Ayla emerges as a testament to modern architectural vision. This residential development seamlessly blends bold and contemporary design with the city’s brutalist heritage, harmonizing modern elegance with intelligent design. The project is located in Moema, a prestigious and sophisticated neighbourhood in the southern zone of São Paulo. Its location, near key access routes, ensures easy access to an extensive urban infrastructure such as commerce, service and transportation options. Ayla was created with the purpose of honoring the local essence and the city lights, introducing the concept of an “urban lantern.”

The project integrates with the urban context, with its volumetry focused on representing an extension of the local cosmopolitan building landscape, reflecting the current dynamic of the various microcosmos in the metropolis. Becoming a true beacon in the area, the innovative design stands out through large, overlapped glass volumes, where light spills out of the project into the city. Particularly on the 8th floor and Penthouse, these spaces offer privileged panoramic views of the area, creating recreational environments and promoting contemplation amidst Moema’s luminosity.

Situated on an 1893 m² plot, the architectural development is conceived to serve a diverse audience, uniting workers and residents within a single building. With a hybrid use, the areas are carefully sectorized into office, residential, and full leisure spaces within its L shaped form, prioritizing privacy to all users and their activities. The project features an 18-story tower, housing commercial and residential studios, as well as high-end apartments ranging from 157 m² to 277 m² square meters (duplex units).

The flexible floorplans represent a forward-thinking approach to urban living. By prioritizing adaptability and personalization, they meet the diverse needs of modern residents, making the units versatile spaces that evolve with life’s changes. The freedom to tailor the space to individual preferences and requirements, accommodating different life circumstances seamlessly, attracts a wider range of buyers and renters, enhancing the marketability and long-term value. The apartments feature social and gourmet terraces, creating communal spaces that combine comfort and functionality. Furthermore, the large windows, provide good natural light and ventilation to the apartments.

The contemporary architectural design is enhanced by the tower’s verticality and use of clean lines, highlighted by horizontal markings on each floor. The warm color palette welcomes the gaze of pedestrians in this mixed-use area. The project also stands out for its diverse textures on the façades, amplified by the interplay of light and shadow throughout the day, due to the backlit perforated panels, which define the project´s architectural identity.

Sustainability is also a fundamental pillar of Ayla, employing advanced technologies to ensure comfort and energy efficiency, such as rainwater harvesting systems, solar panels and the use of eco-efficient materials. Its commitment to socio-environmental responsibility and quality of life resulted in an AQUA certification. The project stands as a living testament to how architecture can be an expression of functional art, catering to the demands and aspirations of modern urban life.

Project Details:-
Firm
MCAA Arquitetos

Architect
Felipe Chieus Rossi

Project Name
Ayla Moema

Project Category
Housing Built

Team
Carlos Alberto Azevedo Antunes, Rogerio Castro Conde, Pilar Lorenzo Martinez, Nadia Ruiz Pedrique, Frederica Fernandes, Andreia Ortega, Felipe Chieus Rossi, Rodrigo Camargo, Cristiane Sato, Mauricio Nascimento, Sergio Avila

Project Location
São Paulo

Country
Brazil

Photography ©Credit
Carlos Oliver

MCAA Architects has been working in the real estate business for 25 years. Our team designs residential, commercial, and mixed-use buildings. Throughout Brazil, we have signed more than 33 million square meters and feature over 1.100 projects in more than 50 cities. The office has always been innovative, in constant pursuit for new paths, architectural challenges and ways of connecting to the market, with strong and lasting relationships with our clients. As architects specialized in real estate, we design with responsibility, aiming to match aesthetic, technical standards, economical results and sustainability.