FGMF Arquitetos Reinterprets Brutalism with ON Melo Alves in São Paulo

FGMF Arquitetos has unveiled ON Melo Alves, a new development on Avenida Rebouças in São Paulo, Brazil, that reinterprets Brutalist architecture for a contemporary urban context. The project, characterized by its extensive use of exposed concrete and dynamic volumetric composition, aims to establish itself as a significant architectural landmark while actively engaging with the surrounding city.

The development is situated on a dual-frontage site, connecting Avenida Rebouças, a key thoroughfare undergoing urban transformation, with Melo Alves Street. This strategic location informed a core urban premise for the design: to transform the building's ground floor into an extension of the public realm, fostering permeability and interaction.

Urban Integration and Public Realm

Breaking away from conventional enclosed developments, ON Melo Alves features a highly permeable and active base. Along Melo Alves Street, the ground floor program activates the sidewalk, leading into a passageway that cuts through the building, providing access to Avenida Rebouças. On the avenue side, the façade incorporates commercial spaces and a covered public plaza. This design choice creates an open and inviting space amidst the busy avenue, encouraging pedestrian presence and social interaction, thereby enriching the urban fabric.

Above this active ground floor rises an approximately 90-meter tower, where the Brutalist aesthetic is fully expressed. The design emphasizes exposed concrete, elevating it from a mere finish to a fundamental architectural statement. The rigorous modulation of window openings introduces rhythm to the façade, offering a clear visual representation of the building's internal organization and functional layout.

Key facts

• Location: Avenida Rebouças, São Paulo, Brazil
• Architect: FGMF Arquitetos (Forte & Gimenes e Marcondes Ferraz Arquitetos)
• Architectural Style: Contemporary Brutalism
• Key Material: Exposed Reinforced Concrete

Brutalism Reimagined

The volumetric composition of ON Melo Alves distinguishes it from typical rigid tower designs. The building unfolds into three large cantilevered horizontal blocks, projecting up to 7.5 meters from the main structure. These dense volumes redefine the residential typology, creating a unique silhouette within São Paulo's skyline. Fernando Forte, a partner at FGMF, notes that "ON Melo Alves repositions Brutalism as a contemporary tool for rethinking the city through density, intensity, and connection."

The cantilevers and complex geometry are not only aesthetic but also a precise structural solution that pushes the technical and expressive limits of reinforced concrete. Forte highlights that the project achieves these large projections without resorting to hybrid structural systems, reinforcing the tectonic character of the architecture. This approach also addresses zoning constraints by reclaiming built area and introducing variation to a predominantly vertical urban context.

FGMF Arquitetos: A Legacy of Innovation

Founded in 1999 by Fernando Forte, Lourenço Gimenes, and Rodrigo Marcondes Ferraz, FGMF Arquitetos has established itself with a commitment to authorial, contemporary, and investigative architecture. The firm's portfolio spans a wide range of scales and programs, from furniture design to large-scale mixed-use buildings and urban master plans. This versatility and flexibility are central to the studio's identity, which now includes over 500 projects.

Over its 25-year history, FGMF has garnered more than 270 national and international awards, including the Architizer A+Awards recognition as Firm of the Year for South and Central America, multiple Dedalo Minosse Prizes, and the Prix Versailles. Beyond their extensive project work, the partners are actively involved in architectural education, conducting lectures and workshops globally, contributing to the development of future generations of architects. ON Melo Alves stands as another testament to their innovative approach and commitment to architectural expression within the dense urban landscape.

Source: Amazing Architecture, https://amazingarchitecture.com/commercial-architecture/vitacon-melo-alves-building-sao-paulo-brazil-by-gmf-arquitetos-forte-gimenes-e-marcondes-ferraz-arquitetos