Canary

Superlimão designed the headquarters of Canary, an investment firm focused on developing technology companies in Brazil, and Atlantico, a fund focused on Latin American startups. The companies occupy a building measuring approximately 350m2 in Pinheiros, São Paulo. Seeking to combine the welcoming nature of a young startup audience with the seriousness of financial transaction environments, the office design stands out for its use of bold colors – bringing different sensations to the entrance, kitchen, and meeting rooms – and for its ceiling with fabrics on a calendered metal structure that also supports spotlights. The ceiling, inspired by a bird's nest, sought to solve the acoustic problems caused by the high ceilings. One of the project's major challenges was adapting the building, which previously housed an art gallery, to the client's needs: several meeting rooms and versatile spaces to accommodate workstations and event spaces for a variety of purposes. The previous layout featured a double-height ground floor with exposed ceilings, a mezzanine, a backyard, and a small outbuilding at the back, used as storage, as well as a restroom area that provided access to the backyard. Therefore, it was necessary to create new areas for meeting rooms, and the proposal was to build these spaces using the overhead space of the high ceiling and the existing structure of the outbuilding. A total of five meeting rooms were created, two of them near the entrance—ground and first floors—which receive natural light from the street facade. The challenge was to prevent the new construction from obstructing the main hall's lighting, and glass was used as a closure solution. Following the first rooms is the multipurpose space, prepared for events that require versatility, from happy hours to temporary workstations for startups undergoing development. The pantry was built in the lower-height area, open to the hall and with the possibility of being enclosed by curtains, in keeping with the flexibility proposal, and an auxiliary pantry was designed as support. Two acoustically treated phone rooms are located near the pantry, and the bathroom was renovated, including a disabled restroom and updated materials and finishes. In the outdoor area, the program called for a work and social area for employees to enjoy happy hours with clients. To achieve this, specific landscaping interventions were made, including a retractable awning and wall panels designed by artist Lanó. The annex is a focal point in the backyard, where an upper floor was created to accommodate a large meeting room.