São Paulo has a rich mix of architecture ranging in period and style. It is a city with diverse and unusual juxtapositions: a mixture of modernist architecture, mirrored skyscrapers and historical buildings. The modern buildings - glass towers of different hues mingle with impressive granite and marble-faced structures and metal-sheathed ones. The city's eclectic appearance is quite unique among the world's large metropolitan cities.
I haven't seen enough of this eclectic mix yet. The ones below are those that capture my imagination.
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Caetano de Campos School, Republica Square, (Praça da República)
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Located right next to the Republica metro station is this school, now site of the São Paulo State Department of Education, a handsome structure of yellow brick that contrasts with the mid-20th century glass and steel towers in the neighbourhood.
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Edifício Copan
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Oscar Niemeyer, the eminent architect of Brazil, personally designed the famous sinuous facade. Unfortunately the wave like structure was masked by building cover and in any case, only an aerial view could do it justice. We were told by the guide that the building houses so many residents (over 1000) that it has its own postal code.
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Biblioteca Mário de Andrade
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The largest public library in the city and one of the leading research libraries in the country. The Art Deco style is considered one of the icons of this style in the city. Its sombre frontage befits an institution that promotes learning and research.
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Theatro Municipal São Paulo
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Without doubt an architectural landmark of the city, inspired by the Paris Opera. Intranet material describes the inside of the building as home to a wealth of wall and ceiling frescoes, Neoclassical columns, busts, chandeliers and statues - treasures that I have made a mental note to see for myself.
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São Paulo Cathedral
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To get to the Cathedral, one has to navigate pass a fairly large number of homeless people. After all, Christ was on earth to serve the poor, and the poor in São Paulo are very visible. Although the building is Neo-Gothic, the dome is inspired by the Renaissance dome of the Cathedral of Florence. On a Saturday afternoon, the cathedral was thronged with visitors and worshipers alike; the decorations inside are stark for a cathedral in a Catholic country.
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Mercado Municipal de Sao Paulo
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Approaching the Municipal Market from a distance, the facade is impressive. Inside, there are thousands of food items on offer: lush tropical fruit, meats and fish, wines and spirits, snacks and desserts. We had a snack there, after waiting for over 45 minutes for a table. Nothing special to report on the food, as most of menu items contain cheese and I do not eat cheese. I had some kind of a fish cake but like most fish dishes in the city, it was laden with salt. The ladies toilet, not decorated for at least 20 years, had about 5 cubicles and there was a long wait. Thankfully there is a queuing system in São Paulo. On our way to the market, we passed through shops and street vendors selling a thousand and one things, mostly cheap merchandise.
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Church along Av. Paulista
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I went inside this church that is located at the west end of Paulista Avenue. It was quiet and were it not for the group walking tour, I would have stayed on and had a few moments to reflect and contemplate.
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House of Coronel Joaquim Franco de Mello
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One of the striking features in the city centre of São Paulo is the juxtaposition of the new and the old. Most of the historical buildings have been daubed with graffiti; they are in a state of limbo because the owners are waiting for a day when they can sell the building and land to developers.
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Avenida Paulista
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This is the view of Avenida Paulista from its junction with Av. Reboucas. From here, one can see the various radio and TV station antennas towering above the buildings. Most of the high rise buildings on the Av. Paulista are soul-less and devoid of creativity.
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Antenna, Av. Paulista
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This antenna tower is a landmark especially when it is dramatically lit up in different colours at night. Show time!
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Old style buildings, side street of Av. Paulista
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There are still some old style two-storey buildings littered around São Paulo, most of them painted in vibrant colours. Some of them have verandas on the second floor, some of them have wooden window shutters protecting the house from the summer heat, and they add a quaintly old fashioned feel and contrast to this bustling city.
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The abandoned Metarazzo's Hospital
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The guide took us to this historical building that was once a hospital. He talked of a haunted hospital which I suspect is spicing things up for the tourists. The place was recently visited by Philippe Starck who aimed to revitalize the area by transforming it into a major cultural complex with cinemas, exhibition space, theatres and even a luxury hotel. "Like most things in Brazil, I will believe it when I see it", the guide sighed. Given the lack of organization and efficiency that I have observed so far, his words might have a ring of truth to it.
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The brightly lit antenna tower, Av. Paulista
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Once the mansion of a coffee baron, now a bank - old and new money
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For a change, this historical building has been restored, painted over and gleaming in white. Among the featureless skyscrapers, this one is a gem, however in-congruent it is with its neighbours.
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Casa das Rosas
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The House of the Roses was designed by one Francisco de Paula Ramos de Azevedo (yes, the Brazilians have long names) shortly before his death. It was a wedding gift to his daughter until the late 1980s when it was expropriated by the state government of Sao Paulo. Now it has been transformed to a cultural centre with allegedly the most beautiful rose gardens in the city. Alas, it was winter, not a time for roses.
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Kobra pays homage to Oscar Niemeyer
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This
is the work of Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra and four other painters,
who paid tribute to architect Oscar Niemeyer in bold, striking colours. Covering the entire side of a
skyscraper on Av. Paulista, the artwork is inspired by Niemeyer’s architecture,
his love of concrete and Le Corbusier. Look closely at the colourful forms that
overlay the photo-realistic portrait, you will find that some of them are based
on Niemeyer’s works. Interestingly, the painters received no compensation from
anyone, only the materials, lodging and food were donated by the neighbours. Bravo to this labour of love.
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Rua Augusta
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I pass this road to and from the metro station Consolação. It is in the Jardins neighbourhood, a safe part of the city (safe in the sense that I dare walk alone after 8 pm). On this road, there is a famous restaurant called Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian steakhouse serving overpriced food at 130 BRL a head for all you can eat buffet and meats. The meats were too overdone for me. Along Rua Augusta, the buildings are a mix of high and low rise, with underground car parks heavily protected by electronic access and egress gates.
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What will I see today?
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The famous MASP building
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This iconic building of the Museum of Arts looks more attractive on photo than in reality: the concrete has darkened over the years and the red pillars desperately need a repaint. But I love it because the building appears to defy gravity.
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More of the old buildings
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I close this blog with a photo of the old style buildings found in the back streets of the Paulista area. I have wondered: when will they be bulldozed to the ground to make way for skyscrapers?
