Architects: Perkins&Will
Area: 5900 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Nelson Kon
Manufacturers: Artcolor, Concresteel, Coopermax, Estrudena, Estrudena, Madeireira Mato Dentro, Madeireira Mato Dentro, Paycan, Placlux, Placlux, Pormade, Portobello, Projetário, Projetário, Serralheria Bottini, Totalmaster, Totalmaster
Project Team: Douglas Tolaine, Fernando Vidal, Lara Kaiser, Adriana Barbosa, Fernando Afonso, Tiago Ferrari, Gustavo Masotti, Fátima Oliveira e Renan Kadamoto
Contractor: Atmosfera Incorporadora
Lighting Consultants: MaisArq Arquitetura
Landscape: Cardim Arquitetura Paisagística
Structural Engineering: MRG
Foundation Engineer: APOIO
Electrical and Hydraulic Installations: SKK
City: Ubatuba
Country: Brazil
Bambu Atmosfera, a residential project by Perkins&Will São Paulo for Atmosfera Incorporadora, is located in Praia Grande, Ubatuba, on São Paulo’s northern coast. The building’s façade features dynamic bamboo brises, chosen for their sustainability, regional abundance, and thermal comfort benefits, making them a low-cost and eco-friendly material. Green copper-like finishes enhance the bamboo elements, creating a modern bamboo grove aesthetic on the façade, entrance, and rooftop pool area. Situated on a 1,843m² plot, the U-shaped design includes a central plaza landscaped with native Atlantic Forest species, ensuring all apartments have sea views. Apartments range from 62 m² to 110 m² and include movable panels for solar protection and flexible interiors. Sustainable features such as brise-soleil panels, recycling bins, and reduced excavation emphasize environmental responsibility. This is the seventh collaboration between Perkins&Will São Paulo and Atmosfera Incorporadora, combining innovative design with a harmonious connection to the natural surroundings.
Perkins&Will São Paulo selected bamboo as the focal material for the Bambu building, a residential project developed by Atmosfera Incorporadora in Praia Grande, Ubatuba, on São Paulo’s northern coast. The building’s façade is composed of treated bamboo vertical slats, designed to move with articulated brises, transforming it into a dynamic, adaptable feature that establishes a distinctive identity in harmony with the surrounding ecosystem.
“Bamboo is highly effective in construction due to its adaptability to various functions and forms within a project,” says Fernando Afonso, Project Designer at Perkins&Will São Paulo and one of the architects responsible for the development. As a cost-effective natural material, bamboo flourishes in the local region, minimizing resource use for transportation and handling. This reduces the construction’s carbon footprint, aligning with Perkins&Will’s commitment to a sustainable, low-impact future.
Bamboo stands out as an aesthetically pleasing and sustainable material, offering advantages such as being lightweight, durable, and fast-growing. In Japan, it is extensively used in construction for its flexibility, which enables buildings to endure earthquakes and other natural events. In Brazil, its versatility makes it particularly well-suited to warm and humid climates, like coastal areas, where it enhances thermal comfort.
To highlight the use of bamboo, the architectural team incorporated a greenish copper-like coating on the façade, the entrance, and the pool area, which is located on the rooftop 20 meters above ground with ocean views. “By incorporating various shades of green and materials that evolve beautifully as they age, we strengthen the idea of a contemporary bamboo grove,” says Douglas Tolaine, Design Principal at Perkins&Will’s São Paulo studio.
Located on a 1,843m² plot, Bambu Atmosfera maintains a strong connection to nature throughout its design, both indoors and outdoors. Its U-shaped layout features a spacious central plaza landscaped with native species from the Atlantic Forest, seamlessly integrating the building with the local biome. This configuration also ensures that every apartment enjoys a sea view. The development includes five apartment types, offering private areas ranging from 62 m² to 110 m².
Inside the apartments, movable panels offer residents flexibility and autonomy while providing protection from direct sunlight. “The façade and the large balconies with wooden planters act as shields against solar exposure, reinforcing the connection to the surrounding landscape,” notes Douglas Tolaine. The design incorporates cantilevered walkways, fire-galvanized steel railings, and a mix of glass and metals, creating contrasting elements that enrich the interplay between diverse materials.
Beyond the use of sustainable raw materials, the design emphasizes environmental responsibility through features such as designated recycling bins and movable brise-soleil panels. These panels help regulate sunlight within the units, enhancing thermal comfort and minimizing reliance on artificial lighting. Furthermore, only the ground floor was elevated to limit the extent of excavation required during construction.
Bambu Atmosfera is the seventh project by Perkins&Will São Paulo for Atmosfera Incorporadora, providing residents and visitors with a unique experience through its innovative design. The development achieves a harmonious visual aesthetic that integrates seamlessly with the surrounding natural landscape.
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Project Location
Address: Rua Peixes do Mar, 35, Praia Grande, Ubatuba, São Paulo, 11687-508, Brazil
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
