Floor-to-ceiling glass always offers spectacular views. But what if the floor and the ceiling were also made of glass? That’s what you’ll find at Sampa Sky, located on the 42nd floor of the Mirante do Vale building, the tallest building in the capital of São Paulo. This innovative tourist attraction gives visitors an unprecedented and breathtaking view of the city—from 150 meters over the city streets.
The project includes two decks: one facing the south and another to the east. Inspired by Skydeck Chicago in the Willis Tower (Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A), Sampa Sky gives the exhilarating feeling of walking over the city to those who dare. The viewpoints, which are the first to be retractable in the world, are made entirely of glass and allow visitors to discover new views and horizons.
For a fully immersive experience, the glass platforms slide up to 2 meters out of the building. The decks include 10-mm glass from Guardian Glass and three 10-mm layers of Saflex® Structural PVB interlayers, ensuring the strength to accommodate 30 tons with total safety. The facade features two layers of 6-mm Guardian Sunlight with Saflex® Clear PVB interlayers.
Of course, safety and structural integrity are vital to Sampa Sky’s success. After all, each deck weighs approximately 4 tons. But superior aesthetics and transparency are equally important. Photos of visitor experiences will be shared worldwide—so visual fidelity was a key factor in specifying materials. That’s why the owners and engineers chose to partner with Eastman and leverage the strength and clarity of Saflex interlayers.
To determine the right model, materials, and final format for the two retractable decks, the team spent approximately eight months in technical development. The final solution preserved the building’s facade without losing the safety and feeling of floating over the city of São Paulo.
There were other considerations: solar control, edge delamination, and UV protection, for example. Saflex interlayers have inherent properties and can be combined with other Saflex PVB interlayers to ensure greater visitor comfort and acoustic control while reducing the environmental impact and energy consumption. For a truly feet-tingling experience, you’ll find Sampa Sky at Praça Pedro Lessa, 110–Centro Histórico de São Paulo, São Paulo, S.P. Brazil. Or visit the website.
