Rosewood Tower, São Paulo, uses vegetation, wood, and metal to mimic the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Scheduled to open in 2019, Rosewood Tower was conceived as a tribute to the Atlantic Forest that lines much of Brazil’s coast.

The project comes as a collaboration between Groupe Allard, Jean Nouvel, and Philippe Starck. Jean Nouvel’s design is for a “landscape building” that feeds into the lush local vegetation, with flowers, plants and trees draping the public and private spaces, terraces and rooftops of the complex.

This vertical garden will not only secure a sense of continuity between the tower and its surroundings but will offer ample protection and privacy to the residents.

Architect, Jean Nouvel, said:

“I came here and saw all these big trees, so I asked myself what I could do to conceive this tower.

“The idea was to make a vertical succession of terraces with trees and vegetation, along with colours that belong to the soil, the trees, and also to Brazil itself, I should say.

“Initially all the elements were made of wood. We tried to retain as much wood as possible and the parts made of metal are honed to resemble wood.

“We have the impression of a tower made out of wood, with a great diversity of terraces and plants that are discoverable only from the inside out.”

The interior finishings of the building will be delivered through collaboration between Ateliers de France and a selection of Brazilian manufacturers and suppliers, conjoining international know-how and local materials.

Marble quarried from the Brazilian states of Paraná and Bahia, and a variety of woods sourced from sustainable sources are featured.

Rosewood Tower will be set in Cidade Matarazzo, currently the largest private historic landmark revitalization project in São Paulo, undertaking US$1.2 billion of investment. Spanning 28,000 square meters the complex with preserve the original architectural characteristics of its pre-existing buildings and bring to life a new embodiment of urban expression – the Rosewood Tower.

Fact Sheet: Cidade Matarazzo

  • Vision and development by Alexandre Allard
  • Tower architecture by Jean Nouvel
  • Artistic direction and Tailor-made Suites by Philippe Starck
  • Hotelier Services by Rosewood Hotel & Resorts
  • Finishings by Ateliers de France – Brazil
  • Coordination of the architectural executive project by Triptyque
  • Landscaping by Louis Benech