Before & After: You’d Never Guess This Tiny Oasis Is in the Middle of São Paulo
Architect Orlando Denardi uses adobe brick, tropical plants, and giant sliders to give an ’80s penthouse a bright, new outlook.
Architect Orlando Denardi uses adobe brick, tropical plants, and giant sliders to give an ’80s penthouse a bright, new outlook.
Orlando Denardi and Arthur Machado had two requirements when they were looking for a new apartment in São Paulo: to be closer to their friends, and to find a unit with dedicated outdoor space. "That was the dream," Orlando says.
At the time, they lived in a far-flung area, so socializing meant taking a taxi or a lot of trains—and they craved a connection to the outdoors, although they knew it was a big ask in a dense city of high-rise buildings. "We are piled up, and getting more piled up as time goes by," says Arthur.
Fortunately, one of the couple’s hobbies is scrolling real estate listings, so only six months passed before they found a penthouse apartment in the Pinheiros neighborhood. The building—which neighbors call the Cenourão, or "big carrot"—was originally designed by architect Ary de Queiroz Barros in the early ’80s, and the couple explain that it was noteworthy for its focus on duplex apartments.
Architect Orlando Denardi and husband Arthur Machado (pictured with their cat, Theo) bought their São Paulo, Brazil apartment in 2021. It was a lucky find: a penthouse with a patio and two floors spread across 1,345 square feet.
Photo: Andre Mortatti
In traditional penthouses, says Arthur, the terrace is located off the upper level and separated from the main living spaces, which are usually on the lower level. "Then you have to put in another half bath and kitchen upstairs to entertain," says Arthur. The Cenourão penthouse plan is flipped, with the terrace off the lower-level living room. "In this case, the configuration is like a home," adds Orlando. "The social areas are downstairs, with the outdoors."
However, the rest of the floor plan suffered from tight, compartmentalized rooms, some with triangular corners and diagonal walls. "I took a while to see the potential, because it was very segmented," says Arthur—but Orlando, being an architect, knew exactly how to proceed.
Before: Entry and Living Room
Before: There was previously a powder room and a laundry room to the side of the entry. Angled walls jutted into the outdoor terrace, which was occupied by an elevated deck.
Courtesy of Orlando Denardi
After: Entry and Living Room
Orlando relocated the powder room and laundry to place the living room off the outdoor space and open up the plan. The entry is wrapped in light-toned wood that blends with the adobe brick in the living room. The Nós armchair is a limited-edition piece from Vírgula Ovo.
Photo: Andre Mortatti
See the full story on Dwell.com: Before & After: You’d Never Guess This Tiny Oasis Is in the Middle of São Paulo
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