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Everyplace is a place in-betewein - Arquipeo
Every place is a place in-between.
hand machine
inside outside
nature culture
curve straight line
public private
instability pragmatism
presence
being …
Imagining an in-between place seems inherently contradictory. If a place is defined by what distinguishes it from another, the concept of the in-between creates a suspended zone that blurs the boundaries between distinct entities. In this regard, a certain beauty may arise from the encounter of differences.
São Paulo — a city defined by contrasts and opposing dynamics, such as the rational layout of its streets versus the natural flow of its rivers — emerges as a territory that resists rigid definitions. It is within this context that the new headquarters of the WPP agency is situated, in the Vila Leopoldina neighborhood, a symbolic area representing the transition from artisanal to industrial Brazilian production.
The intersection of craftsmanship and industrial processes informs the design concept. Its precast concrete structure blends standardized elements—such as columns and beams—with components crafted using artisanal techniques, like load-bearing walls molded by hand over sand beds. Despite its industrial framework, the components retain the imperfections inherent in the nature of concrete. The walls, in particular, emphasize the human presence in every act of labor, with textures that evoke landscapes distant from the industrial context.
The building's structure is organized around the modular repetition of an 11.25-meter grid, with columns, beams, slabs, and circulation cores supported by load-bearing walls, ensuring the overall stability of the structure. This approach enables the creation of a formless five-story building that adapts to a wide range of programmatic needs, the scale of the site, construction dynamics, and the surrounding context. This arrangement generates a series of terraces at different levels, creating spaces that mediate between the internal (building) and external (city) landscapes, culminating at the rooftop. Some exceptions lead to adjustments in the structural repetition logic — such as intermediate levels for parking and technical areas, the need for an auditorium, the creation of internal voids, and galleries that connect the three different cores.
A perforated metal curtain wraps around the structure like a veil, creating transitional zones between the interior and exterior. Similarly, glass surfaces define the ground-level volumes, disrupting the perception of inside and outside. Positioned amidst gardens, these transparent layers physically enclose the space while absorbing and distorting the surrounding environment, blurring the boundaries between the building and the city.
The project integrates with its surroundings through open pathways at ground level, fostering a seamless relationship between the street and the building. The gradation of levels organizes access to internal spaces, while the elevated ground floor protects the structure from occasional flooding events. Spatial fluidity is further enhanced by surrounding vegetation and artificial topography, which extends into the site and culminates in three expansive gardens.
These gardens, composed of native species, engage in dialogue with what once existed there. As constructed representations of original forest within the city, they challenge our understanding of what is considered nature. Likewise, precast concrete elements with artisanal traces — repeated on an industrial scale — challenge our notions of culture. It is in this dense interval — characteristic of something in-between — that the project seeks to establish a place capable of destabilizing the outdated conceptions that shape our relationship with today’s world.
Location São Paulo
Design year(s): from 2020 to 2025
Construction year(s): from 2022 to 2025
Principal(s) in charge: Gustavo Utrabo
Project team: Fernanda Britto, Bárbara Francelin, Vito Macchione, Gustavo Ziviani, Luiz Felipe Sakata, Augusto Longarine, Beatriz Rocha, Ana Mulky, Felipe Klinger, Julia Park, Thiago Zati, Francisco Lucas Costa, Clara Varandas, Gabriela Sad, Ana Luisa Liesegang, Julia Frenk, Michael Guggenheim, Tancrede Prunier, Gabriel Dias, Mae Smith, Keith Wiley, Giulia Mirabella, Maia Bexkens, Bruna Moreira.
Client(s):
WPP Group and Brookfield
Consultants:
Structural / foundation design: CMA Engenharia / Consultrix Engenheiros Associados
Landscape design: Raul Pereira Arquitetos Associados
Lighting design: Foco Luz e Desenho
Acoustic consulting: Akkerman Alcoragi
Electrical and hydraulic systems: Verticalli Engenharia
Accessibility: Foco Consultoria
Window systems: QMD Consultoria
HVAC design: Teknika
Environmental comfort: CA2
Coordination: Pura Arquitetura
General Construction: Rocontec
Program: Office, Stores, Auditorium, Public square
Structural system: Precast concrete, steel structure
Major materials: Concrete, glass, steel, vegetation
Site area: 18,597 m2
Building area: 68,911m2
Photography: Rory Gardiner and Felipe Russo