An abandoned neo-brutalist skeleton gets a new life in São Paulo, its sixties-era exposed-concrete frame having been judged too foreboding. Instead, the architects reclad the 17-storey, 9,444-square-metre one-time residential tower in business casual and converted it into an office building. The new interior’s sparse material palette of wood and glass, its clean lines and its open spaces blend into a crisp yet cozy minimalism. This breezy feel eschews convention. For instance, the office tower floors have outdoor balconies, relics of the structure’s previous function. Scrums in common areas with low-back, comfy armchairs and coffee tables, moreover, evoke living-room gatherings rather than break-out meetings. Uma caipirinha, alguém?

Project Bauman Corporate Retrofit Location São Paulo, Brazil Firm Studio Arthur Casas, Brazil Team Arthur Casas with Gabriel Ranieri, Regiane Khristian, Beto Cabariti, Luciano Sessa, Deborah Branca, Nathália Minas, Marcelo Beretta, Victória Chaves and Manuela Girardi