Located on a busy corner in a densely urbanized neighborhood in São Paulo, Siga Moema exemplifies the benefits of integrating different uses within the same building—a concept encouraged by São Paulo’s current urban legislation. Its active frontage is composed of concrete boxes that define retail spaces across two base levels, in addition to nine 30-square-meter studios on the second floor. Rising from the core of the site, a sober 16-story tower houses three apartments per floor, each with three en-suite bedrooms.
Aimed at optimizing the use of urban services—particularly in areas well served by public transport—the current Master Plan for São Paulo promotes the coexistence of residential and non-residential uses within the same structure. It also emphasizes urban parameters such as active frontages and public access areas. Though not entirely new concepts, these strategies have recently gained ground in the city's residential developments.
Siga Moema is part of this new wave of residential buildings designed under such parameters, while also meeting the client’s requests for an active ground-floor façade and apartments of approximately 150 square meters. The building takes full advantage of the zoning allowances for mixed use. “These are benefits provided by the law, and it's up to the developer to assess whether they are viable for a given site. They foster a dialogue between legislation and the market, and we, as architects and urbanists, tend to regret when such opportunities are not seized,” says architect Lourenço Gimenes, one of the project authors.
The building was conceived specifically for the Moema neighborhood—a lively area with significant pedestrian and vehicle traffic, served by both bus and subway lines, and supported by a robust network of services, leisure, and commerce, including a major shopping center. The building's diagonal positioning on the plot breaks away from the orthogonal model of neighboring constructions. The aim was to set the tower back and create a small public square on the corner and along the Iraí Avenue façade, directly in front of the building’s social entrance, explains Gimenes. “This generates unusual perspectives. From the inside out, you discover views between surrounding buildings, and from the outside in, the openness of the corner creates the impression of a larger, more generous urban space,” he notes.
The tower’s setback is also due to the presence of the concrete boxes, which diversify the composition and define the volume of the shops on the ground and mezzanine levels, forming the active façade facing Alameda dos Maracatins. These volumes also frame the nine 30-square-meter studios on the second floor.
In developments like this, zoning laws determine the number of units based on the land area. In the case of Siga Moema, the required total was 54 units—an amount that couldn’t be achieved with the intended apartment size due to height limitations imposed by the proximity to Congonhas Airport. To meet the unit count without increasing the building’s height or width, nine smaller studios were introduced. These add variety to the occupation and may serve as guest rooms, housing for elderly relatives, or even independent space for teenage children.
The residential tower stands out as the more restrained element of the complex. It features strong vertical lines that structure the building and define the boundaries of balconies and units. “At the level of the studios, some terraces push inward while others jut outward, reinforcing the contrast between the base and the tower,” says Gimenes. The balconies are enclosed with railings made of panels in three different sizes, arranged in a free composition that extends to cover the slab edge. The same railing material acts as a sunshade for the bedroom windows. The building’s concrete structure is cast in place, with the ground floor receiving particular attention—craftsmanship and carefully designed formwork ensure a high-quality exposed concrete finish.
At street level, the sidewalk paving extends into the entrance hall, creating a continuous link with the public plaza. The filtered light that passes through the gaps between the concrete boxes lends the lobby an unusual and intriguing atmosphere for a building of this type. The interior design is minimalistic, featuring custom-designed pieces such as a version of the Água Viva light fixtures, made to order by designer Ana Neute. Another highlight is the vertical circulation core, clad in patinated copper.
In addition to the studio level, the building features 16 residential floors, each with three nearly 150-square-meter apartments, all with three en-suite bedrooms and balconies. Amenities include a party room, gym, and playroom on the ground floor, and a sauna, pool, and bar on the rooftop, which corresponds to the 18th floor.
By Nanci Corbioli
