Victor Civita Plaza
Open Museum for Sustainability
Eco Parks
São Paulo, Brazil

130,000 sf • with Levisky Arquitetos Associados

The City of São Paulo, in partnership with Editora Abril, has recently inaugurated Victor Civita Plaza Open Museum for Sustainability. Located in a central urban area, at the site of a deactivated garbage incinerator, the project provides São Paulo a new 130,000 sf leisure area as well as introduces an innovative approach to the revitalization of a contaminated urban area. Like other post-industrial areas, the existing site was degraded and polluted exemplifying the urban challenge most metropolises now have to face. Conscious of this issue, Anna Dietzsch (director of Davis Brody Bond in São Paulo), in association with Adriana Levisky (director of Levisky Arquitetos Associados), proposed a design that remediates the contamination and proposes a sustainable solution, incorporating social political, cultural and environmental elements into a productive design.

A deck of certified, recycled Brazilian hardwood sits above the site, supported by steel structure, to minimize contact with the contaminated soil. Like the frame of a ship, the deck unfolds, creating places that are defined by the three-dimensionality of the form — great urban rooms that invite public use. Floating three feet above the original topography, the deck extends in a lengthy diagonal, emphasizing the natural perspective of the site. Exhibit panels explain the various sustainable processes present in the plaza, including the recycling of wood, examples of plant specimens used for the production of bio-energy and medicine, hydroponic systems, genetic engineering and soil purification. Visitors will also be able to learn about the use of an organic water recycling system used in the plaza. The constituency of an open institution, “Friends of the Plaza,” allows for new partners and sponsorships. The project seeks to promote community involvement and development, offering programs related to education, culture and leisure.