Year: 2013
Surface: 6.420m²
Location: Rio de Janeiro
The Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
When we were contacted by IAG – PUC about a program to build a new headquarter for the Business School, we thought of two aspects that should be respected, aside from the administration’s pedagogical program: the beautiful property in which the building is located and the University’s history.
Nothing seemed more symbolic to us of the history of PUC or a greater mark of its personality that its stilts.
Nothing seemed more symbolic to us of the history of PUC or a greater mark of its personality that its stilts. That is where the encounters between students and professors in all kinds of areas occur, that is where the science fairs happen as well as the important student politics meetings. As for the location, you can also breathe history among the leafy trees of the Atlantic Forest.
Thus, we decided to install a U-shaped building, creating big living spaces, both on the ground and the top level, so that nature can penetrate and be part of a building that houses classes stigmatized for lacking poetry and emotion.
All the classrooms, offices, management centers, auditoriums, cafeteria, horizontal and vertical circulations are completely in touch with the local nature. A five-story plus ground level metallic structure prefabricated in Corten steel will sustain the building, smoothing the installation, avoiding a mess and construction noises in an area where classes are still happening in nearby buildings.
