In a continuation of their fruitful collaboration, Perkins&Will São Paulo and Fleury Group, a leading figure in high-quality laboratory testing in Brazil, have joined forces again. This time, their partnership goes beyond designing interiors to encompass the entire technical planning for the group’s central analysis and research laboratories. These laboratories are housed in a building located in the Brooklin district, in the southern region of São Paulo, Brazil. The collaboration between the healthcare and corporate interiors teams within the same studio showcases the effectiveness of combining expertise for optimal results.
Project Start Year: 2020
Year of Completion: 2023
Built Area: 19,000 m2
Location: Av. Morumbi, 8860 – Jardim das Acácias, São Paulo – SP
Photos: Nelson Kon and Renato Navarro
CREDITS:
Project Name: Fleury – Polaris – Technical Area
Interiors: Perkins&Will São Paulo
Project Team: Lara Kaiser, Fernando Vidal, José Bofill, Andreia Rossi, Carolina Nobre, Laís Aguiar, Liliana Andrade, Vinicius Camargo, Carlos Eduardo Maroquides, Eliza Bertholdo, Silvia Ferreira, Lucas Matheus, Tatiana Kaida, Leandro Gushiken, Paula Caçador
COLLABORATORS:
Construction Company: Its Informov
Management: CHP Gerenciamento de Projetos
Lighting Design: Foco&Luz
Acoustics: Harmonia
Engineering: MHA Engenharia
Visual Communication: DEA Design
The decision to create a new headquarters for Fleury Group stemmed from the corporation’s move from its longstanding location in Jabaquara to a new 19,000 m² building designed by Dal Pian Arquitetos at the corner of Santo Amaro and Morumbi Avenues. Apart from providing enhanced comfort for employees, this move facilitated the establishment of an operational technical center twice the size of the previous one – growing from 4,600 m² to 8,500 m² – and tripled its production capacity. This location now stands as the largest of its kind in Latin America for specialized tests, processing 500,000 tests per day with the potential to produce 120 million tests annually. The new headquarters, emphasizing innovation, differentiation, and high productivity, marks the beginning of the group’s growth plan for the next two decades.
Program
The comprehensive program aimed to accommodate the transfer and expansion of clinical analysis professionals and administrative staff while also housing the laboratory headquarters, offices, restaurant, auditorium, reception area, and a Fleury service unit. The unique organization of sectors, considering technical requirements and comfort, stands out as a key differentiator.
The initial floors were allocated for enclosed spaces such as reception, restaurant, and auditorium, while the upper floors were reserved for functions requiring flexibility over time. Future growth in laboratory areas is expected to occupy the upper floors currently designated for corporate functions.
“The most significant challenge was recreating, in a vertical building, the same sense of integration with the landscape provided by the previous horizontal headquarters,” explains Leandro Gushiken, an architect in the corporate interiors team at Perkins&Will São Paulo. “Our solution involved incorporating biophilic elements, open environments, and coexistence spaces, carefully integrated with a focus on vertical circulation. This allowed us to replicate the concept of a tree, a motif present in the group’s branding,” he adds. References to this icon also manifest in the textures of materials and chosen colors.
The healthcare and technology team grappled with meeting rigorous standards dedicated to laboratory environments. “We designed the program layout adhering to technical requirements, considering aspects such as contamination and asepsis. Structural interventions were necessary to accommodate equipment installations and the required flows,” says Andréia Rossi, a professional in healthcare space architecture at Perkins&Will.
Millôr Fernandes’ Artwork
Integrating the old group headquarters’ mural by Brazilian cartoonist and writer Millôr Fernandes (1923-2012) with the new one in Brooklin presented a unique challenge. The mural, titled “Queda e Ascensão” (“Fall and Ascent”), measuring 6×7 meters, adorned the entrance hall of the previous headquarters, featuring birds dressed as people walking alongside flying naked men and women. The mural, originally on the wall of the former building, was moved using technology: it was meticulously photographed with high-resolution cameras and digitally retouched. The result is photographic panels currently on display in the restaurant.
Technology and Humanization
To underscore humanization, Perkins&Will focused on creating a seamless and integrated relationship between the external and internal areas of the laboratories, enhancing the well-being of sector employees.
Technological solutions, including Lab Automation, were incorporated to contribute to the efficiency and sustainability of laboratory operations. This system ensures significant resource savings and waste reduction, showcasing a commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility. LED lighting with motion sensors further contributed to sustainability gains.
Beyond being a functional and efficient headquarters for Fleury Group, the space reflects its history, values, and commitment to providing high-quality service. The thoughtful arrangement of spaces, integration of environments, use of colors, and adoption of sustainable technologies make the project an exemplar of innovation and design, meeting the client’s needs while complying with the rigorous technical requirements of the healthcare field.
About Perkins&Will
Perkins&Will, an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm, was founded in 1935 on the belief that design has the power to transform lives. The firm is committed to creating a better, beautiful, more equitable world through Living Design, an approach that integrates environmental, social, and design considerations to advance ecological health and well-being. Architizer named Perkins&Will the world’s “Best Sustainable Firm” in 2023, and Metropolis named it “Firm of the Year” in 2022 for its industry leadership in advancing climate action and social justice. Fast Company named Perkins&Will one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in Architecture three times, and in 2021, it added the firm to its list of Brands That Matter making Perkins&Will the first architecture practice in the world to earn the distinction. With an international team of more than 2,500 professionals, Perkins&Will has 30 studios worldwide, providing integrated services in architecture, interior design, branded environments, urban design, and landscape architecture.
Established in 2012, the Perkins&Will studio in São Paulo has approximately 100 multidisciplinary collaborators and has developed projects for clients such as Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Rede D’Or, Prevent Senior, Grupo Fleury, Bank of America, C6 Bank, Tozzini Freire Advogados, Machado Meyer Advogados, Insper, Escola Bilíngue Pueri Domus, Grupo SEB, Trisul SA, SDI Incorporadora, Vitacon Imobiliária, You.Inc, Lúcio Engenharia, and MPD Engenharia. Partners include Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects; Portland; Nelson\Nygaard; and Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR).
