3rd Place in the National Competition for the AEA Sorocaba Headquarters

The offices AUÁ arquitetos and Estúdio Itinerante were awarded third place in the national competition for the new headquarters of the Association of Engineers and Architects of Sorocaba (AEAS). Read the full project description and proposal below.

The project starts by considering the ground—the pedestrian level—where visitors find an open, sheltered space along an avenue dominated by the walls and security booths of gated communities. This design seeks to reclaim the sense of urban space, encouraging an encounter between the proposed building, the street, and the citizens, who are invited to experience the space beyond its purely functional role.

The project draws on the characteristic sociability of Brazilian culture—which thrives on communal life—as the foundation for its physical spaces, constantly connecting the individual to the collective, professionals to their peers, and built-up areas to the open plazas and gardens.

To achieve this, the project establishes a central axis that coordinates both the open public plaza and the built volume, which accommodates the reception, lounge, and programmatic functions. This axis crosses the site from north to south, welcoming visitors at the entrance and inviting them inside—sheltered by a cantilevered metallic volume while remaining connected to the outdoors. It then leads to the first volume, corresponding to Phase 1 of construction, which houses services directly connected to this public street-level floor: reception, café, shop, daily services of the CAU and CREA, and a coworking space, all closely integrated with the volume's internal garden.

This axis continues toward the second volume, corresponding to Phase 2, which houses the auditorium on the upper level and the parking extension below. The axis cuts through this second volume and projects toward the edge of the property, overlooking the city landscape of Sorocaba. It also organizes circulation to the stage and audience seating while creating a foyer complete with a kitchenette/bar, restrooms, and a balcony that opens onto the plaza.

The design of this axis also sets the conditions for the upper volume, which will house the office spaces. This bar-shaped volume floats above the two lower structures, lightened by its steel framework and separated by a gap that avoids direct contact. Three independent volumes thus maintain a close, unified relationship.

This steel and glass prism, housing workspaces, meeting rooms, and lounges for architects and engineers, is protected by a louvered facade that forms a balcony. Here, the building's thermal performance is enhanced by the surrounding landscape design: tall vegetation on the west facade and reflecting pools, which work in tandem with the adjustable louvers to promote user well-being and provide views from the upper level. Visitors and professionals in the building are thus connected both to their peers and to the city.

Project Specifications

• Authors / Team: AUÁ arquitetos (Diogo Cavallari, Isadora Marchi, Victor Berbel) and Estúdio Itinerante (Flávia Garofalo Cavalcanti)
• Location (address/city/state/country): Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil
• Project year: 2019
• Total built area (m2): 3,509.13 m²