The challenge of this project was to transform a generic roadside warehouse, located across from the Boavista Palhano condominium, into a space with identity and dignity: the new headquarters for Alma Empreendimentos, the company responsible for developing the condominium itself.
We started with a close reading of the territory. We visited small towns in the Serra da Moeda Valley to understand how the vernacular architecture of the region was constituted, including its proportions, materials, and ways of life. This immersion was essential to establishing a dialogue between local tradition and the demands of contemporaneity.
The solution for the facade intends to redefine the building's proportions. We used hand-stacked stone for the base up to the height of the doors, followed by whitewashed walls that extend up to the “eira, beira, e tribeira” (terms that traditionally refer to the complete set of cornice and eaves elements) — reinterpreted here as the building's crowning element. The result is a building that integrates with the condominium and the surrounding landscape.
The project benefited from a partnership with designer Rafael Quick, who was responsible for creating the signage. The letterforms utilized an exclusive typography developed by Gabriel Figueiredo, which graphically translates Alma’s values. The hand-drawn lettering, produced via artisan metalwork, reinforces the search for authenticity and the affective bond with the place.
Thus, the Alma Empreendimentos headquarters also becomes a metaphor for its mission: to give soul to built spaces. Not just buildings, but places that breathe culture, landscape, and community life.
