BAMO recently completed the Four Seasons Hotel São Paulo at Nações Unidas, housed within a modern and elegant 28-story tower designed by HKS in partnership with Aflalo e Gasperini Architects, with 16 floors occupied by the Hotel and 12 floors for residential units. BAMO designed the hotel's interiors including the reception and lobby level, lobby bar and lounge, a world-class spa, pool, fitness center and 254 guestrooms and suites.
Principals Michael Booth and Anne Wilkinson took cues from Oscar Niemeyer's bold strokes of sweeping modernism and the organic abstraction of Burle Marx when developing the vision that they describe as "bold and evocative modern, an international luxury aesthetic rendered in Brazilian materials and infused with classic Paulistano flavor."
"We were greatly inspired by the design approach of some of the Brazilian greats, but did not want to mimic any one style specifically," explained Booth. "Our goal was to capture the Brazilian soul, fusing relaxed modernism with artful details and sensuous materiality, creating a story that appeals to the international traveler and local design enthusiasts alike," added Wilkinson.
Reception
Guests enter the hotel with dramatic reception under a dome of glowing glass orbs and trio of faceted brass and figured Brazilian marble reception desks.
Spa
The spa is the picture of quiet modernism and polished sophistication with deep-toned Brazilian green marble and natural ipe throughout. Intricate wood and metal screens control views and light, critical to the ambiance. The pool flows visually through a glass panel connecting interior & exterior and culminates at a curved, slate and onyx feature wall.
Guestrooms
Broad strokes, elegant details and bold proportions define the guestroom. Emphasizing transparency, a unique slatted wall separates bath and bedroom, and shared materials provide calm. Finishes are unexpected for a hotel with Brazilian granite floors at the entry and bath, Jatoba wood throughout the bedroom, and a Brazilian leather rug in place of carpet. The edited yet playful palette marries black and white patterns, contrasting wood tones, satin brass accents, and a burst of marigold at the curvaceous chaise.
Presidential Suite
For the most important suite in the hotel, the goal was to create a showcase for Brazilian design in a clean, modern, gallery-like feel. The space has an almost brutalist simplicity, clean and architectural but very luxurious. The use of travertine running throughout, Brazilian burled wood, dark-stained ipe, and a light-toned plaster form the backdrop for a design that features striking colors and iconic, modern Brazilian furnishings from renowned masters and new talents such as Jorge Zalszupin and Jader Almeida. Artwork and sculptures from Brazilian artists, including Karen de Picciotto, Jose Munhoz, Cassio Lazaro, and Arnaldo Bataglini. were key to the success of the suite.
Photography: Aaron Leitz