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Architects: Benedito Abbud Arquitetura Paisagística
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:Eduardo Castello, Eduardo Ikoma, Maíra Acayaba
Text description provided by the architects. Torre Mata Atlântica is part of the Cidade Matarazzo complex, a mixed-use development in the city of São Paulo that comprises housing, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants, a cultural center and a chapel.
Within the large plot of land belonging to the former and historic listed Matarazzo Hospital, the building is also mixed-use, with hotel suites and residential apartments, both managed by the Rosewood hotel chain, and commercial spaces on its base. It is a new construction with an architectural concept by Ateliers Jean Nouvel, which occupies a portion of approximately 3,000 m² of the 30,000 m² plot.
The landscape architecture of the Cidade Matarazzo complex came from an important premise: it should have as much of a leading role as the buildings. Its role, therefore, was to equalize the chaotic landscape of the site, made up of buildings of various types - some from the beginning of the 20th century and some new constructions. Vegetation permeates the entire complex, occupying the empty spaces, in the complex relationship between the volumes. In this context, was born the concept of Torre Mata Atlântica, with its large stepped terraces, covered in trees, evoking the green slopes of Serra do Mar.
The front garden is a dense forest that protects the occupants' privacy and disguises the massive volume of the building from those passing by on the street. Huge raised planters were created on the 10th, 16th and 21st floors where the building has the largest terraces. On the top floor (27th floor), the entire area is a garden. In addition, vegetation permeates the entire complex volume of the building, with medium-sized planters and large vases on the apartment balconies, creating a changeable building with an unpredictable character.
Planting trees on skyscrapers has been a trend explored by architecture in the last decade, both for its aesthetic appeal and environmental symbolism. However, this type of situation always involves a series of increased risks, in relation to root control, falling branches or the tree itself. And, in the case of a tower over a hundred meters high and with mature trees, these risks are even greater. Then, to enable the implementation of the project with an acceptable level of security, were necessary in-depth risk studies and the development of solutions to minimize them.
As an essential condition, the trees were chosen based on their resistance to winds. To this end, computational models of several native species were created. The simulation, in conditions of extreme winds, took into account the resistance of the wood, typical arrangement of the branches, typical shape of the crown and foliage. After being evaluated and approved, the species were positioned in the building according to their characteristics.
Solutions for anchoring and physically containing trees were also developed, both for their buried parts (root ball) and their aerial parts (trunk and branches). Ensuring an extra layer of security even in the worst-case scenario.
