ARCHITECTS OFFICE is responsible for the architecture and interior design of PACE Building, a contemporary residential project where rhythm, movement, and the encounter between nature and the urban environment converge to create the highest quality of life in the city of Curitiba, Brazil.
Project Name: PACE Building
Studio Name: ARCHITECTS OFFICE
Continuing their tradition of iconic projects in Curitiba, AO’s second collaboration with AG7 Real Estate Company introduces a 160-meter-tall building featuring suspended houses of various sizes distributed across 3 distinct volumes. These volumes are connected by well-being, leisure, and sports spaces, and aligned by a rational central structure that combines art and technique within an urban forest amidst the city.
The project arises from contextual studies on dwelling, specifically focusing on living in Ecoville neighborhood, a developing area near the city center known for its green spaces and sought-after for outdoor wellness and sports activities. Through this immersion and architectural and programmatic processes in compliance with local regulations, the architecture is designed to seamlessly integrate into the slender terrain.
Access to PACE is granted through Ivo Zanlorenzi Street via an exclusive deceleration lane that leads to a vegetated base comprising over 1,900m² of preserved woodland.
This serene space showcases a variety of native species such as araucarias, palm trees, and jerivás, all bordered by an orchard featuring pitanga and jabuticaba trees for the residents’ enjoyment.
As you ascend, the first volumetric block is dedicated to long-stay residences, with areas ranging from 112 to 168 sqm. The façade features a rational treatment with an external grid design punctuated by voids, which are adorned with flower boxes.
On the 13th and 14th floors, the first leisure block is located, providing general access to the fitness area, functional terrace, massage rooms, gourmet kitchen, and more. The displaced volumetry serves as a transition between distinct housing programs and is accentuated by the use of glass, lending a sense of lightness to the cantilevered slabs that blend harmoniously with the sky.
The access between the base and the first leisure block is achieved through an external vertical circulation, designed as an architectural element integrated into the facade. This unconventional circulation proposal is rooted in the idea of maintaining a continuous connection with the natural landscape.
Set apart from the blocks below, the second residential volume within the architectural composition showcases upscale residences of 218 sqm, 223 sqm, as well as duplex units spanning 347 sqm and 352 sqm. The distinctive graphic pattern of this façade showcases sculpted slabs with alternating projections and recesses, harmoniously adorned with abundant vegetation.
The 27th and 28th floors house the second leisure block, exclusively providing access to spa spaces with a pool, sun deck, and lounge area that complements the well-being program.
Above, in the third and final residential volume, special units with 668 sqm, duplexes with 592 sqm, and apartments of 360 sqm crown the Building. Their presence is accentuated by the horizontal arrangement of the slabs adorned with perimeter flower boxes, creating a captivating visual impact.
The suspended houses have been articulated with a perimeter structure to allow for freedom of use and modifications to the floor plans. The bedrooms and living rooms are oriented towards the north, while the social areas are located at the ends, offering a 180-degree panoramic view and maximizing natural lighting, airflow, and ventilation.
The architecture derives unique identities for each façade from the staggered stacking of slabs. When viewed from different points in Curitiba, they sometimes reveal elegance and lightness, and at other times evoke the image of a living forest organism. The same effect is experienced from within the tower, where residents can enjoy various cinematic views of the city.
The 44 floors that comprise PACE are sectorized and hierarchized, with distinct treatments to accommodate different moments and possibilities of living.
ARCHITECTS OFFICE proposes a decomposed volumetry that welcomes residences interspersed with contemporary well-being programs, all in connection with the landscape of Curitiba.
