São Paulo
DESTINATION GUIDE WITH JULIANA PIPPI
São Paulo Design City Guide: A Curated Journey with Juliana Pippi
Architect Juliana Pippi works between Florianópolis and a studio in São Paulo's Jardins, moving across architecture, interiors, and her own furniture collections. It's a fitting vantage point for this guide: São Paulo's design identity was built by architects first, from Lina Bo Bardi's raw concrete to Ruy Ohtake's sculptural forms, and Pippi's edit of the city reads that history alongside its present-day galleries, ateliers, and dining rooms.
What follows moves between the unmistakable landmarks, MASP's suspended concrete, Casa de Vidro's glass and greenery, and the quieter, more personal finds: a family-run bakery, a mountain retreat in the Serra da Mantiqueira, a Saturday antiques market in Pinheiros. Together they trace a city where Brazilian modernism, craft, and everyday life sit unusually close together.
SEPTEMBER 2026
Words: designeers
breakfast and coffee:
Padoca do Maní
A charming, relaxed bakery from the Maní family, built for a slow breakfast of artisanal bread, cakes, and comforting Brazilian flavours. It's the kind of place worth returning to more than once.
favourite art gallery:
SP–Arte
Rather than a single gallery, SP–Arte is the essential stop: an art fair bringing together an inspiring range of galleries, artists, and designers. It offers one of the broadest views available of the contemporary Brazilian art scene.
Favourite Design Museum
Casa de Vidro- Instituto Bardi
Designed by Lina Bo Bardi as her own home, Casa de Vidro stands among São Paulo's most inspiring architectural landmarks. Surrounded by lush greenery, it offers an intimate, poetic way to experience Brazilian modernism.
A FINE DINING EXPERIENCE:
Le Jardin at Rosewood São Paulo
Surrounded by greenery, art, and thoughtful design details, Le Jardin inside Rosewood São Paulo suits a long lunch, an elegant dinner, or a late-night drink equally well. Few rooms in the city balance all three so comfortably.
A place to Eat Lunch:
Charlô Bistrô at Pulso Hotel
A sophisticated yet welcoming restaurant inside Pulso Hotel, its atmosphere shaped by art, natural light, and elegant design. The menu blends French influences with local ingredients and Brazilian memory.
A Cocktail or Wine Bar
Atlântico 212
A vibrant, beautifully designed bar and restaurant in Pinheiros, made for drinks, music, and a lively São Paulo evening- an easy place to lose track of time.
a design hotel to stay in:
Hotel Unique
An architectural icon designed by Ruy Ohtake, its sculptural form has become part of São Paulo's visual identity. The rooftop, in particular, offers one of the city's most memorable views.
favourite Collectible Design and Concept Store:
dpot and dpot objeto
Two essential stops for discovering Brazilian design: dpot presents major names in Brazilian furniture, while dpot objeto offers an inspiring edit of objects, art, and contemporary craftsmanship. Between the two, they cover most of what matters in the city's design scene.
An Artisan Everyone Should Know About
Artesol
Rather than a single name, Artesol is the place to start: the organisation supports Brazilian artisans across the country. It offers a rich introduction to the diversity and cultural weight of Brazilian craftsmanship.
A Neighbourhood That Defines the City:
Alameda Gabriel Monteiro da Silva
One of São Paulo's most important addresses for architecture, furniture, and interior design, perfect for an afternoon spent moving between showrooms. Brazilian brands and design stores line the street in close, walkable succession.
Favourite boutique or concept store:
Jader Almeida
Jader Almeida's work is an essential reference in contemporary Brazilian design, his furniture defined by precision, elegance, and a timeless sense of proportion. It's a name worth knowing before browsing anywhere else in the city.
Go-To Bookstore or Magazine Shop
Livraria da Vila and the MASP Shop
Livraria da Vila is always worth visiting for its selection of books on architecture, design, and art. The MASP shop is an equally reliable stop for carefully chosen publications and exhibition catalogues.
AN ICONIC ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARK:
Casa Ateliê Tomie Ohtake
A special architectural visit into the intimate universe of Tomie Ohtake,
in a building designed by architect Ruy Ohtake. It doubles as one of the
city's more memorable, lesser-known viewpoints.
IMAGE credits:
Livraria da Vila: Leonardo Finotti
Casa de Vidro: courtESy of Instituto Bardi, photography by Marina d’imperio
Casa Ateliê Tomie Ohtake (plus cover image): courtESy of Ohtake
More from Juliana Pippi
LINEA: Fabric as Architecture
LINEA draws from the traditions of Italian tailoring, translating proportion, drape, and precision into a refined textile design language across four colour families: Panna, Pistacchio, Cioccolato, and Grigio. In this interview, Pippi speaks about its origins, the creative dialogue between Brazil and Milan, and her sensorial approach to contemporary interior and textile design.
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