An iconic brand, its architecture inspired by speed

By Editorial Staff - 21 April 2021

The architect’s pencil glides swiftly over the drawing paper, tracing an aerodynamic outline borrowed from the automotive world: thus the Heritage and Cyrela residential skyscrapers designed by Pininfarina in São Paulo, Brazil, were born. Since its foundation in Turin in 1930 by Giovanni Battista Farina as the “Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina”, the company has made quite a name for itself in the history of Italian design. The Cambiano-headquartered brand has designed and built many iconic cars during its 90+ years in operation. Today, its timeless elegance and the penchant for innovation that have always typified the brand are evident in its architectural projects.

Located in the exclusive Itaim Bibi neighborhood, the 32-story Heritage skyscraper features a futuristic design “inspired by the shape of speed”, as the designers are happy to explain. The façade is defined by the unique, curvilinear shape of its airy balconies. To create this complex envelope, a three-dimensional scan of the building’s modeled structure was developed digitally. Subsequently, the scan was printed onto a carbon mold, for the fiberglass components of the façade to be manufactured. Completed in September last year, the tower contains 31 luxury apartments ranging from 570 to 700 sq. m, each one occupying an entire floor of the building. Each unit boasts large balconies with city views and between six and eight parking spaces. In addition to the garaging, the apartment complex offers numerous amenities, including indoor and outdoor pools (plus a smaller one for children), a playground, a tennis court, a bar, a ballroom with terrace, a gym and a spa.

Heritage is the second chapter in this partnership between Pininfarina and Brazilian manufacturer Cyrela, one that began a few years ago with another skyscraper, also in São Paulo. The first residential tower designed by Pininfarina, called Cyrela as well - a luxury condominium located on a 2,050 sq. m site on Fiandeiras Street - opened three years ago. Through its lively, dynamic forms that seem sculpted by the wind, the skyscraper has redrawn the landscape of the Faria Lima region in which it is set. The 23-story building has an architectural symmetry that, without any façade hierarchies, renders it harmonious and uniform. The residential complex hosts 92 apartments ranging in size from 50 to 100 sq. m; common areas that offer a host of amenities and leisure facilities, including an outdoor pool, a spa, a fitness center, a lounge area and a space for dinners and events. The Cyrela project has won two international awards: the iF Design Award in 2016, and the International Architecture Award in 2019.

Beyond the façades, the interiors - designed by local designers - are characterized by a combination of aesthetic taste and leading-edge technology, enhanced by Pininfarina’s elegant and contemporary furnishings and their continuous references to the automotive world.

courtesy Cyrela Realty | The Heritage apartment complex boasts 31 spacious apartments and numerous amenities, including indoor and outdoor pools, a playground, a tennis court, a gym and a spa.

courtesy Cyrela Realty | Heritage Tower - Lighting grooves highlight the curvilinear progression of the walls, designed as if they were chicanes on a racing circuit. The furnishings also offer continuous references to the automotive world.

courtesy Cyrela Realty | With its futuristic façade and interior design, the 32-floor Heritage tower is located in the exclusive Itaim Bibi district.

© Ana Mello, courtesy Cyrela Realty | Cyrela Tower

© Ana Mello, courtesy Cyrela Realty | Cyrela was the first residential tower that Pininfarina designed. It was awarded the iF Design Award in 2016, and took the International Architecture Award in 2019.

Cyrela Tower

Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Client and Main Contractor: Cyrela
Completion: 2018
Gross Floor Area: 11,184 m²
Architect: Pininfarina
Interior Design: Carlos Rossi

Photography by Ana Mello, courtesy of Cyrela Realty

Heritage Tower

Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Client and Main Contractor: Cyrela
Completion: 2020
Gross Floor Area: 29,039 m²
Architect: Pininfarina
Interior Design: Debora Aguiar Arquitetos

All images courtesy of Cyrela Realty

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