Authorial design and formal simplicity form the backbone of the work developed by Estudiobola, a Brazilian design studio with over 20 years of history. In 2024 we were invited to design their first store in the capital, located at Casapark, in Brasília.
The client’s main request was, in addition to translating the brand’s qualities into the store’s physical space, to somehow bring the “idea” of Architecture closer to their Design.
This was the opportunity to pay homage to the architecture of the capital, using symbols that are part of the everyday life of the city and the imagination of its inhabitants, such as the inclined pillars of Plano Piloto buildings, the iconic facade of the National Theater, and the metallic ceiling designed by Athos Bulcão for the Plenary of the Federal Senate.
Facade
To eliminate interferences from the existing structure and an elevator, the store’s facade takes on depth and volumetry, which aligns with the client’s expressed desire to associate “Architecture” with the furniture design produced by the brand. The condition of a very long facade, measuring 24 meters at its largest extent, combined with its projection at the corner, 4 meters in front of its “neighbor,” were key factors in perceiving the store as an architectural volume, rather than a simple mall facade.
This mass was sculpted in various angles, adapting to the different functions along the facade: display windows, openings, and the main entrance. The design generated a facade with rich geometry translated into simple lines that address privacy and light entry while remaining intriguing and inviting.
01. Pilotis
Pilotis are an important symbol of Modern Architecture, usually more associated with public or institutional buildings, but in Brasília, they define the urban landscape of the residential areas within the “Superquadras” of “Plano Piloto”. The free span is the most striking feature of the Brazilian way of doing modern architecture, and the feeling of opening the elevator door and entering the city is a privilege for all residents of the North and South Brasília’s Superquadras.
Bringing this element into the store space is not just a tribute to the city but also a way to create an instant sense of intimacy with the residents of the Plano Piloto.
02. Athos Bulcão Ceiling
The ceiling composed of small aluminum panels fixed on a metal mesh, used under the mezzanine slab, was designed by Athos Bulcão in 1974 for the Plenary of the Federal Senate in Brasília. This ceiling was also used in other iconic works by Oscar Niemeyer, such as at the Headquarters of the French Communist Party.
A solution predominantly used in institutional buildings and spaces with high ceilings, it was installed in the store space at a height of 2.35m, creating another type of impact and bringing this element to a residential scale.
03. Display Panel
The composition of geometric volumes applied in the form of a panel on the mezzanine guardrail was inspired by the facade of the National Theater of Brasília, a pyramidal volumetric structure with lateral facades covered by panels formed of concrete blocks, designed by Athos Bulcão in 1966. It is one of the largest works of art integration with architecture in Brazil, measuring 125m at its base and 27m in height.
In the store space, the panel serves as both a support and product display and is covered with the same green carpet used on the mezzanine floor.
