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A couple tasked São Paulo firm Arkitito with spicing up a lackluster 452-square-foot apartment in the iconic Copan building using traditional mosaic flooring and nods to 1960s Brazilian design.
When Stefany Guimarães and Amanda Nori were looking for an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, they jumped at the chance to live in an icon: the Copan Building, originally designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer and completed in 1966. Not only is it large—337 feet tall, with 32 floors, 5,000 residents, and its own zip code—its distinct, curvilinear concrete form ensures it stands out amongst the other downtown skyscrapers. "The Copan has always been a landmark of the city," Amanda says.
But the 1980s and 1990s were hard on the structure and occupancy waned in its 1160 units, which range in size from 1938 to 301 square feet. In 2014, it was covered in a transparent drape to protect pedestrians from loose exterior tiles. Still, in the last decade there’s been renewed interest in both the icon and its surrounding area, "which is becoming increasingly interesting and vibrant," says Amanda.
The Copan Building, designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer and completed in 1966, is a modernist icon in São Paulo, Brazil. The use of reinforced concrete made Niemeyer’s signature curved facade feasible. It’s so large, it has its own zip code, and there are more than 70 stores, restaurants, and commercial establishments on the lower level. "It’s great to be here, you can get everything done on the ground floor of the building," says Stefany.
Photo: Andrea Soares
After many years in São Paulo, Stefany and Amanda moved 90 minutes away to the country, but in 2024, they decided to purchase an apartment close to the flagship store for the brand of cat products they founded, called Cansei de ser Gato (CDSG). The name loosely translates to "I’m tired of being a cat," and it all started with a Facebook post of their cat, Chico, dressed as a lion.
Amanda Nori and Stefany Guimarães hang out at the built-in dining table in their São Paulo apartment.
Photo by Andrea Soares
The couple were drawn to this 452-square-foot apartment in the Copan for its far-reaching views and petite, yet flexible, size. "We wanted a higher floor to have a nice view of the city, and we wanted a small apartment that still allowed us to make good use of the space," says Stefany.
But first, they needed to reconfigure the layout. The closet separating the main rooms was so big that it made the home feel extra small, and a large bathroom further wasted space. They reached out to architects Larissa Ragaini and Chantal Ficarelli of the firm Arkitito Arquitetura for a remodel.
Before: Kitchen and Entry
Before: The small, boxed-in kitchen made the adjacent entry feel small.
Courtesy Arkitito
See the full story on Dwell.com: Budget Breakdown: $24K and a Ton of Broken Tile Refresh a Flat in an Oscar Niemeyer Landmark
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By: Melissa Dalton
Title: Budget Breakdown: $24K and a Ton of Broken Tile Refresh a Flat in an Oscar Niemeyer Landmark
Sourced From: www.dwell.com/article/budget-breakdown-copan-apartment-renovation-arkitito-sao-paulo-brazil-2382e8cb
Published Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2025 17:36:46 GMT
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