MAAI Arquitetura Integrada, led by architects Mônica Pinto, Arnaldo Pinho, and Isabel Veiga, returns to CASACOR São Paulo for its second participation with an invitation to reconnect—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—with values, meaning, and the essence of living. Through natural textures, living materials, and an atmosphere that encourages sensory deceleration, Living Rhythm of Life emerges as an architectural manifesto about permanence, presence, and time as the force that regulates rhythm and perception.
Inspired by Indigenous ancestral knowledge, which understands nature as a living, interconnected organism in constant transformation, the project aligns with this year's CASACOR theme, "Mind and Heart." Living Rhythm of Life presents the home as a sanctuary, inviting visitors to pause, slow their breathing, and soothe their senses. More than an interior, it offers an intimate experience of connection and belonging.
Occupying 83 square meters, the space integrates a living room, bar, and powder room into a sensory journey composed in layers. Visitors are welcomed by the Sharing Core, conceived around the idea of circularity—an ancestral gesture symbolizing gathering, listening, and permanence. Inspired by the circles traditionally formed around a fire, the Bardot sofa, designed by Felipe Protti for Prototype, reinterprets togetherness as a ritual, where stories are exchanged and time naturally slows down.
The journey continues into Between Rhythms, a transitional area designed as a space for sensory decompression. The furniture composition encourages subtle and spontaneous pauses. The Mariana Tea Table, an original design by MAAI handcrafted in Brazilian imbuia wood by San German, invites brief moments of encounter, while the iconic Percival Lafer armchairs (1967) evoke the emotional comfort of enduring design. These two environments are visually connected by a newly launched rug from Via Star, handcrafted on manual looms using recycled PET fibers in a rich chocolate tone.
The experience then unfolds into the Celebration Source, the bar that concentrates the energy of the environment without disturbing its sense of balance. Sculpted in marble and intersected by transparent glass, with cachaça bottles displayed almost as ritualistic objects, the space interprets celebration as continuity rather than excess.
The path concludes with the Purification Ritual, a powder room enclosed within a structure inspired by Indigenous dwellings. Clad in handwoven buriti palm fiber produced by artisans in Fortaleza, Ceará, the space creates an introspective, silent, almost meditative atmosphere. Here, an everyday gesture becomes a mindful experience: washing one's hands is transformed from a simple function into an invitation to reconnect with the body, the breath, and what truly matters.
Materiality itself becomes one of the project's most expressive elements. Handwoven carnauba palm mats, crafted by artisans in Minas Gerais and installed over a pinewood structure, cover both ceilings and walls, becoming central to the space's sensory experience. Their natural fibers and handcrafted texture create a welcoming surface that absorbs sound, filters light, and softens acoustic reverberation, fostering a more intimate and contemplative environment.
To complete the setting, the architects incorporated authentic Indigenous objects sourced from Herança Cultural, including the Capivara and Giant Anteater stools by master artisan Uhuru Mehinaku, from the Mehinaku Indigenous people of the Xingu region. Sculpted from Amazonian piranheira wood, each piece is finished with beeswax, snail shell, ingá tree resin, and charcoal. The Tronco Armchair, by Nem Artesão, and Chair II, by Pedro Ávila, crafted in eucalyptus wood and cast brass, are also part of the selection. Ceramic and wooden sculptures, artworks inspired by rock formations and natural landscapes, and carefully curated decorative objects complete the composition, bringing harmony and depth to the project.
Special attention is given to MAAI's own furniture designs. Alongside the Mariana Tea Table, the architects created a sculptural bar inspired by the shape of an elephant's foot. Defined by robust volumes and exaggerated proportions, the piece creates the illusion of resting on small legs, while its oversized handles resemble enlarged footprints. Developed in collaboration with designer Ariel Pinho, from Artekura, the cabinet is crafted from freijó and sucupira woods. The Travertino Giallo marble coffee table, supplied by Boutique Della Rocca and sculpted by Defriuri Mármores, departs from conventional organic forms, embracing a sharper and more sculptural aesthetic.
Sustainability flows naturally throughout the project. Natural, minimally processed materials, carefully sourced vintage pieces, and traditional Brazilian craftsmanship reinforce a design philosophy centered on longevity, memory, and emotional connection with objects. Rather than simply reducing environmental impact, Living Rhythm of Life proposes a slower pace of consumption and a renewed relationship with more human ways of creating and inhabiting spaces.
Team:
Architects: MAAI Arquitetura Integrada
Photographer: MCA Studio
