School 42

A programming school with free education where students choose their own curriculum and progress through modules, without teachers, books or issuing diplomas, Escola 42 is a French institution with a collaborative teaching method, where students evaluate each other's work, always in group activities. In 2019, 42 São Paulo (as it is called) arrived in Brazil and set up shop in Vila Madalena, São Paulo, with a Superlimão project. With these characteristics, the architectural project needed to be efficient, attractive and meet the technical and visual needs so that the public – made up of people aged 18 and over – would be immersed in its universe and teaching method. The result is a contemporary project, whose program is divided into four spaces – one for events and the other three with programming rooms (with different layouts) – in an area of 900m2. Just as 42 took advantage of the science fiction film “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, by English author Douglas Adams, to choose its name, and to define the colors, materials and finishes of the school’s spaces, the architecture was also inspired by the high-tech universe of the 60s/70s/80s, such as the film “2001: A Space Odyssey”, by Stanley Kubrick. The still empty slab, with no previous use, gained new construction throughout the space, a 40x4 floor plan, long and narrow. The central core is formed by a pantry and IT areas and the other spaces are used for meeting rooms, staff, programming and event areas. There is also a roof/outdoor area for moments of relaxation. The furniture was developed by Superlimão to meet an atypical accommodation need, hence the choice of light furniture, with casters for easy movement and crates to be used in special actions within the space. The ceiling is made of mineralized wood with a treatment acoustic and in projected cellulose and a color palette was developed especially for application in the project, which has the relaxation present in the metalwork and its visual communication.