HELIOPOLIS Social Housing
In a rare opportunity for the city of São Paulo, the isolated tower architectural model is replaced by the traditional European urban block model, with the buildings occupying its perimeter and conforming an inner courtyard with public acess, meant for the leisure of the blocks inhabitants.
The site topography is taken in account, meant to maximize the apartament's number (420 units split in two types). The different level access points permit a 8 level high construction without need of elevators, in conformity with urban legislation. Such access points conforms the covered leisure spaces of the block.
The skywalks, whose metalic structure sets them apart of the rest of the building, connect the buildings in the same level as the access point.
The building system of structural masonry has been used on most of the building, but on the entrance of countyards reinforced concrete has been employed. The apartament's distribution and the use of colors set visually the buildings apart, without losing the notion of the whole block.
The project has been accomplised within Sao Paulo City Hall Program for Poor-area Re-Urbanization, through the Secretary of Housing.
