Edifício Da FIESP / Rino Levi Arquitetos Associados | Classics On Architecture Lab

Architects: Rino Levi Arquitetos Associados
Area: 37,500 square meters
Year: 1979
Photography: Beto Moussalli, Everton Amaro, Divulgação, FiespConstruction: 1970-1979
City: São Paulo
Country: Brazil

The Edifício da FIESP, officially known as Edifício Luís Eulálio de Bueno Vidigal Filho, stands as one of the most recognizable landmarks on Avenida Paulista in São Paulo. Designed by Rino Levi Arquitetos Associados and inaugurated in 1979, this iconic building features a striking black façade and a pyramid-shaped design, embodying Brutalist and Modernist architectural principles. Originally, the site housed the Nagib Salem mansion; despite efforts to preserve this mansion, it was eventually demolished to make way for the new FIESP headquarters. Serving as the headquarters for FIESP, SESI-SP, and SENAI-SP, the building not only symbolizes São Paulo’s industrial development but also includes unique architectural elements such as a pilotis-supported plaza and a rooftop garden, maintaining its status as a prominent feature in the city’s skyline and a cultural and architectural landmark.

The development of the Edifício da FIESP began after unsuccessful attempts to preserve the Nagib Salem mansion, which originally occupied the site. Once the sale of the land was finalized, FIESP launched an architectural competition to design the new building, which aimed to create a structure with “very expressive characteristics, capable of transforming the building into a reference in the city and in Brazil.”

The winning proposal was submitted by Rino Levi Arquitetos Associados, with architects Roberto Cerqueira César and Luiz Roberto de Carvalho Franco at the helm. The design featured a structure in two superimposed blocks separated by a floor supported by pilotis. This concept created a base block at ground level and a tower above it, a design that contributed to the building’s unique pyramid shape. This form not only created a visually striking appearance but also served a functional purpose by ensuring greater sunlight for the lower floors.

As described in a 2013 article on the CIESP website, “The move to the new address began to be planned in 1967, when land on Avenida Paulista was acquired to house the new headquarters. The architectural project was selected in a public competition. And the winner was the proposal by Roberto Cerqueira César and Luiz Roberto de Carvalho Franco, from the Rino Levi office.”

On the left, a sign announces the construction of FIESP's future headquarters on the purchased land along Paulista Avenue. — On the left, a sign announces the construction of FIESP’s future headquarters on the purchased land along Paulista Avenue.

The building was inaugurated in a ceremony on November 7, 1980, attended by then-President João Baptista de Figueiredo and other notable figures. During the inauguration, the building was officially named after Luís Eulálio de Bueno Vidigal Filho, a prominent businessman and FIESP president from 1980 to 1986.

The building’s black façade and sharp angles have made it a postcard image of São Paulo, reflecting the city’s ambitious spirit. With a height of 92 meters and 16 floors, the building houses the headquarters of FIESP, as well as the CIESP (Centro das Indústrias do Estado de São Paulo), SESI-SP (Serviço Social da Indústria de São Paulo), SENAI-SP (Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial de São Paulo), and the Roberto Simonsen Institute, a center for advanced studies. The building also accommodates 49 unions and industry associations on the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th floors.

The building’s architectural significance is enhanced by a mosaic designed by the renowned landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx and his colleague Haruyoshi Ono. Located at the entrance from Alameda Santos, this 515.68-square-meter mosaic adds artistic value to the building, blending architecture and art seamlessly.

Aspects of the original proposal include a base on "pilotis," a "public" square, and a pyramidal tower as a "landmark" [ANELLI, Renato; GUERRA, Abilio; KON, Nelson. Rino Levi, architecture and city. São Paulo, R] — Aspects of the original proposal include a base on “pilotis,” a “public” square, and a pyramidal tower as a “landmark” [ANELLI, Renato; GUERRA, Abilio; KON, Nelson. Rino Levi, architecture and city. São Paulo, R]

The building underwent a major renovation in 1998, led by architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, the only Brazilian architect to win the Pritzker Prize, considered the “Nobel of architecture,” aside from Oscar Niemeyer. Mendes da Rocha’s renovation included the construction of a mezzanine for the Galeria do Sesi-SP and the restoration of the original distance between the street level and the building’s main entrance on Paulista by cutting into the slab of the upper ground floor.

As FIESP noted in its 2014 publication celebrating the building’s 35th anniversary, “The largest floor of the building is the upper ground floor, with 2,769 square meters. It is there that the corporate entrance to the building and the Fiesp Cultural Center with the Sesi-SP Art Gallery are located. The smallest floor is the 15th, with 969 square meters.” Additionally, “The building’s seven elevators make 12,600 trips per day. The most frequently used floors are the ground floor, the first basement, and the fourth floor.”

Associations headquartered in the Luis Eulalio de Bueno Vidigal Filho Building. © Fiesp — Associations headquartered in the Luís Eulálio de Bueno Vidigal Filho Building. © Fiesp

One of the most innovative features added during the building’s history is the Galeria de Arte Digital, inaugurated in December 2012. This open-air digital art gallery, which is the first of its kind in Latin America, features over 100,000 LED lights on the building’s façade, allowing for dynamic displays of digital art. “The façade of the FIESP building is home to the first open-air digital art gallery in Latin America,” according to FIESP. The gallery has hosted 51 works as part of exhibitions and 23 artistic and commemorative videos. The interactive videos are typically displayed until 10 p.m., with non-interactive displays continuing until 6 a.m.

The building also plays a significant role in sustainability efforts. Since January 2014, all organic waste generated by the restaurant on the 16th-floor Events Space has been processed into compost for the gardens of SESI-SP schools. In total, 29.5% of all waste produced in the building is recycled, which is significantly higher than the average recycling rate in São Paulo.

The Edifício da FIESP also includes numerous amenities such as four levels of underground parking, water reservoirs, and a theater, as well as a half-level art gallery located below Avenida Paulista. The theater is part of the Centro Cultural FIESP complex, which hosts a variety of cultural events and exhibitions. Visitors can also enjoy the Sesi Editora bookstore and the café lounge, which features a winter garden designed by Roberto Burle Marx.

The building’s distinct architecture and cultural significance have made it a frequent backdrop in popular media. It was prominently featured in the opening sequence of the telenovela “Amor à Vida,” which aired on Rede Globo in 2013-2014, and in a video produced by FIFA highlighting São Paulo as one of the host cities for the 2014 World Cup.

In terms of historical context, FIESP has played a significant role in Brazil’s political and economic landscape, especially during the military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985. The building not only serves as the physical headquarters of FIESP but also as a symbol of the organization’s influence over the industrial and political spheres of the country. As a result, the Edifício da FIESP stands as both an architectural and historical landmark in São Paulo.