Eiffel Bookstore

Arthur Duarte

• Architects

The client, son of an architect who passed away in 1971, studied architecture at FAU-USP (Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism - University of São Paulo) but did not finish the course. After practicing law in the field of copyright for many years, he decided to rekindle his old passion for architecture through a new venture: a bookstore specifically focused on architecture, urbanism, design, and landscaping.

photo_credit Arthur Duarte — Arthur Duarte

A former resident of the iconic Edifício Eiffel, one of the few residential buildings designed by Niemeyer in São Paulo, the space he chose is located on its ground floor, facing Praça da República, in a region that houses two architecture schools, numerous offices of the same practice, and the Institute of Architects of Brazil (IAB).

For many years, that venue had hosted a clothing store and had undergone a series of interventions that resulted in a low ceiling height and poor natural lighting. When the suspended plaster ceiling and the precarious platform on the mezzanine floor were removed, a hidden gem was revealed: a space with a high ceiling, partially occupied by a spiral staircase that led to a mezzanine with a sinuous ledge — distinctive features of Niemeyer's design.

The proposed interventions focused on removing the previous modifications and updating the infrastructure and installations. At the back of the mezzanine, the support spaces were arranged: a kitchenette, an office, and a bathroom. Around its opening, the space was left completely open for reading nooks with an unobstructed view of the floor below.

An important element of the project was the furniture. The bookshelves fully occupied the walls on the opposite side of the opening, both on the ground floor and the mezzanine. They were designed with a system of movable shelves that allow for varying heights and angles, offering options between large storage capacity and flexibility for book display.

All the furniture was made from laser-cut folded carbon steel plates, assembled and fastened with screws, while the cabinets were crafted from marine plywood. The curved counter subtly references Oscar Niemeyer's architecture.