The 2019 Building of the Year Award—ArchDaily's annual recognition where the winning projects are selected by public vote—has announced its list of winners, and as usual, the selection spans buildings from all over the world. Among the projects chosen by our readers, a Brazilian design won the award in the "Public Architecture" category: Sesc 24 de Maio, by Paulo Mendes da Rocha in partnership with the firm MMBB Arquitetos.
Located in downtown São Paulo, in the area best served by public services in the city, Sesc 24 de Maio condenses a series of urban-scale issues into a single architectural object. To begin with, it is an adaptive reuse project, transforming and incorporating the structure of a former department store abandoned for decades, Mesbla, into a metropolitan-scale urban facility.
Its ground floor, an effectively public space, is a covered shortcut connecting 24 de Maio and Dom José de Barros streets. This strategy is not unprecedented, recalling the famous galleries (such as Galeria do Rock, do Reggae, and Califórnia) in downtown São Paulo, whose accessible ground floors act as passageways through the urban fabric.
Vertically compressing a wide range of programs and uses—from a restaurant to a dental clinic, a library, and a rooftop pool—the design connects these diverse social events through a highly celebrated element in São Paulo architecture: the ramp. In a continuous movement, visitors move up and down the floors, experiencing different situations, akin to walking along a city street.
Undoubtedly one of the most successful projects in Brazilian architecture over the last decade, Sesc 24 de Maio is part of a broader strategy of revitalizing downtown spaces—a movement currently seen in major cities worldwide—and has attracted people from other regions of São Paulo since its opening. Awarded the best Public Architecture of the year, it once again solidifies its international recognition.
This article was written by Romullo Baratto. The translation is powered by AI.
