Living in 29m² at São Paulo´s iconic COPAN
- Giulliano Pandori Giancoli
- 25 de jan. de 2021
- 3 min de leitura
In celebration of the 467th anniversary of São Paulo city, we are proud to present our first post!
The COPAN building is an icon of Brazilian architecture. Located in the central region of São Paulo, it is one of the largest concrete structures ever built.
The peculiar sinuous shape of the building and the characteristic north facade covered by Brise Soleil was designed by the architect Oscar Niemeyer in 1952. The building has 32 floors divided into blocks, each one with several types of housing units ranging from three-bedroom apartments to studio units of only 29m², that add up to 640 units out of a total of 1160.
The studio unit has an extremely simple layout: a single-room of free occupancy, a small space for a kitchenette, and a bathroom with an access door by the kitchen, a minimal housing with just 29m². The rigidity of the original design is present in the extremely small dimensions of the kitchenette area, which has no connection with the studio area and still serves as a hall to access the bathroom.
Although the original project provides us with a much-outdated occupation, compared to the way we appropriated the spaces nowadays, the COPAN's studio apartments still have incredible potential for those who want to explore living minimally and reducing their footprint.
One of the main factors that make COPAN's studio units such an interesting option is the fact that the building is located in an area bordering the city center of São Paulo, with plenty of services, transportation, and leisure options, as well as the fact that the building was signed by the best-known Brazilian architect of all time, with a legacy of international recognition that elevated Brazilian architecture.
In addition to the aforementioned, the building has a commercial ground floor, with shops, services, and a theater, and a magnificent view from the rooftop which is open to public visitation (unfortunately out of service due to these difficult times).
Here I invite you to explore the building's surroundings, through a virtual tour on google maps, acceding the various photos, 360º views and street views available:
and also to visit the building's official website to see the collection of images of the building dating from its construction:
What is happening nowadays
After going through a phase of emptying and deterioration, the city center of São Paulo today still houses many buildings with a lot of architectural potential and which are still cheaply, compared to the residential developments in the city's valued areas. This fact has made many people that are looking for alternative ways of living in large cities, soon realize this potential.
At COPAN, many units are undergoing renovation and a large number of very interesting projects can be found, as the renovation project made by the architect MaurÃcio Arruda for a resident in a studio unit. This well done project can give us a taste of ​​the potential that these small spaces can provide to people that are open to new lifestyles, where multifunctionality and flexibility can turn a small space into a home, showing that a quality space is not necessarily related to the number of square meters available.
I also share with you some curiosities of this unique building:
Oscar Niemeyer designed the building, but the project was managed by the architect Carlos A. C. Lemos.
When opened, the building could be seen from almost all nearby regions, becoming part of the identity of São Paulo.
The Copan Building is so big that it has a zip code for itself: 01046-925. It is 130 meters high and 120 thousand square meters of built area, being the largest residential building made of concrete in Brazil.
There is a wide variety of residents at the building since the units range from 29m² apartments to 160m² apartments.
You can visit the building from Monday to Friday, at two times: 10:30 am and 3:30 pm, except holidays. To participate in the experience, just arrive 15 minutes in advance.