CASA CORAÇÃO (“House of the Heart”) is a cultural center located in the very heart of São Paulo. Its creators, Gee Galvão and Calu Amorim, founders of one of Brazil’s most vibrant carnival blocos, Explode Coração, dreamed of a space that would reflect the spirit of Brazil while meeting the creative community’s needs for self-expression.

The building has an unusual history. Built in colonial style in 1944, it served as a family home and later was transformed into a car workshop. In 2022, the FORM bureau team proposed a reconstruction project for the historic building, giving it a new lease of life as a multifunctional space, including a platform for music and educational events, a gallery, a bar and a photo studio. Preserving authentic parts of the building formed the basis of the project, highlighting its historical uniqueness.

The values of CASA CORAÇÃO resonate with our vision of implementing the concept, primarily honesty and simplicity. Key materials in the project became ordinary brick and concrete, widely used in Brazil. Local and accessible materials, reimagining their usage possibilities, became part of a conscious approach to design. For instance, the bar counter in the main hall is made of bricks (elemento vazado), and some furniture pieces are made from construction blocks. Raw materials such as untreated stone, rough wood or unfinished surfaces became part of the space’s aesthetic. Traditional elements of Brazilian architecture were also incorporated into the project, such as window grilles with floral ornamentation, resembling a collage, constructed at the main entrance portal to the gallery.

The gallery is another significant part of the project, previously serving as an entrance for cars. Now it has become a platform for young artists’ experiments, a center for their cultural exchange and dialogue. We created two separate entrances – to the gallery and to the main space – to host events independently of each other.

The main space’s focal point became the stage. With its smooth, flowing form without clearly defined angles, it resembles a cyclorama and reflects the personality of one of the founders, Gee Galvão, who is professionally engaged in photography. Another unique feature of the main hall is the flag-shaped lamp, assembled from cement panels. Inspired by the festive Festão lighting, consisting of chains of colorful lights or decorative flags, we reimagined traditional Brazilian lighting in a brutalist style. This lamp became a functional art object, perfectly reflecting the project’s concept focused on simplicity.

In the restroom area, above the monolithic concrete sink, we added interesting lighting solutions using ordinary fluorescent lamps. We paid special attention to mirrors, which became not only a functional element but also a favorite spot for visitors to take photographs.

The garden integrated into the CASA CORAÇÃO space became our compliment to the concrete city, where there are not so many parks and natural corners. An open-air inner courtyard is an important element of Brazilian culture, a place for meetings and communication. A large tree in the center transforms it into a corner of living, breathing nature, where visitors can relax and escape the urban rush.

CASA CORAÇÃO is a simple yet dynamic space designed to be filled with life. It reflects what happens within its walls, like a blank canvas, whether it’s the art of photography, the rhythm of dance or the chords of music.

Architecture: Vera Odyn, Pavel Makarchenko, Alexander Gabisov, Artemy Smirnov, Anna Novikova, Nikita Morenov
Client: CASA CORAÇÃO
Status: Implementation
Location: São Paulo
Year: 2023
Photos: Gee Galvão