Roca São Paulo Gallery, the design-led bathroom products manufacturer's new creative home in Brazil, has just launched in the prestigious Avenida Brasil. The space, designed by local architect Fernanda Marques, was conceived to foster conversation and imagination, and is the latest in a series of similar brand outposts for Roca across the world, including Barcelona and Madrid (Spain), Lisbon (Portugal), London (England), Shanghai and Beijing (China).
Roca São Paulo Gallery: a nod to the Atlantic Forest
The architecture of the new Roca São Paulo Gallery takes its inspiration from the Atlantic Forest. Marques taps into her arsenal of minimalist, contemporary forms (past works have included striking residential work such as Casa Jabuticaba), and adds a nod to the natural world, through her use of materials and the relationship she crafts between interiors and exteriors.
'The invitation to design the Roca São Paulo Gallery was a great honour and imposed a series of responsibilities on me in a very positive way. It meant having the opportunity to leave my mark on a project that invades the urban dimension, combining architecture, design, innovation and sustainability. It was also an opportunity to share my creative vision for a significant space in the city and to contribute to the promotion of knowledge and the meeting of professionals in my field. For all these reasons, it has inspired me to continue striving for excellence in my life and career,' says the architect.
Landscape designer Alex Hanazaki is behind the artful gardens and planted terraces throughout, reinforcing this bond with nature. Meanwhile curated furniture by Marques makes for an elegant and functionally flexible space, and includes some of the architect's own designs – the ‘Serras’ coffee table and the ‘Infinito’ bench.
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