Engineering Office

Superlimão is responsible for the architecture of the new headquarters of the Engineering Office, in the Barra Funda neighborhood, in São Paulo. Responsible for the project of the construction company's previous office, Superlimão was invited to develop a new space that, in addition to adapting to the hybrid work model - in-person and remote -, would also represent a new phase of the company, more mature and robust. With 120 employees, including permanent and mobile employees, the demand came for a flexible office with clear circulation flows, with meeting rooms of different shapes and sizes, places for quick calls and large areas for workstations. The program also includes a studio for recording podcasts and a space for lectures and internal events. In it, a carpentry grandstand accommodates some of the employees and external guests in a relaxed manner. To arrive at the final layout, studies were carried out on sunlight and views of the 900m² slab. The goal was to free up circulation on the perimeter of the floor, ensuring that the view and natural lighting were present throughout the project. Circulation areas and areas where people spend less time, such as lounges, booths and a pantry, were positioned on the sides with the most sunlight. These studies resulted in positive impacts, both on energy consumption and on the comfort of the teams. The demand for air conditioning and artificial lighting decreased, and the use of daylight created a more pleasant work environment for employees. To enhance comfort, indirect and warm sources of artificial light were prioritized. The view also guided the implementation decisions: the main access is through a Concresteel tunnel, which directs the view of those arriving to Pico do Jaraguá, the highest point in São Paulo and which can be admired from the new headquarters. Another objective of the architecture was to turn the office into a kind of portfolio for the construction company. To this end, Superlimão sought inspiration from construction sites, incorporating common construction materials into the architecture, such as bricks, concrete and metal mesh. The idea was to give prominence to elements that are usually hidden under coverings or finishes. This process required the development of specific details for the project, as well as specialized labor and constant exchange of knowledge with the execution team. Applied in a different way from the standard, these elements gained not only an aesthetic function, but also comfort. The ecological brick, for example, was placed in a rotation, with cork stoppers to create an acoustically effective element. They and the other bricks were laid in unconventional ways and without mortar; the pop metal mesh, commonly used in concrete slabs, was used in the ceiling with exposed installations; and concrete, which normally constitutes the structure of buildings, was used in the mobile work counters and in the reception. The landscaping appears as a counterpoint to the construction materials. Along the perimeter, cachepots fill the ceiling, and, in the corridor of the meeting rooms, one of the points with the most sunlight, a “tunnel” of flower boxes filters the light, acting as a natural brise soleil.