Designboom_ In the heart of one of São Paulo‘s fastest growing green neighborhoods, the design team at Victor Ortiz Architecture unveils its latest ongoing project, the Urupê Tower. This mixed-use building is planned to celebrate panoramic vistas of the surrounding city while demonstrating the use of biophilic design principles and sustainable architectural strategies. With its facade of lush vegetation emerging from climbing terraces, the tower will stand as an example of green architecture in Brazil‘s urban jungle. Thus, the Urupê Tower is rooted in a commitment to ecological balance and forward-thinking design.

In the design of its Urupê Tower, architect Victor B. Ortiz draws from the world of fungal growth forms found within tree trunks. This organic inspiration is translated into built space through the incorporation of scattered planters across every level of the tower. Echoing the resilient and adaptive nature of fungi, the project’s architectural language seeks to merge human-made structures with the natural world, lending a work that resonates with the rhythms of growth and interconnectedness. While this design strategy celebrates the aesthetic appeal of nature’s patterns, it further underlines the tower’s role as a living entity.

This strategy is driven by the concept of biophilic design — an approach that learns from natural processes and applies them in the creation of more efficient man-made environments connected to nature. The architects weave this principle into the fabric of the tower, creating a symbiotic relationship between the built space and the living ecosystem. The scattered planters, echoing fungal growths colonizing a tree trunk, are more than just ornament. Instead, they become pockets of life that purify the air, provide refuge for biodiversity, and offer occupants a direct link to nature amidst the busy urban context.

Victor B. Ortiz proposes the Urupê Tower in response to a modern era marked by rapid urbanization and escalating climate change concerns. The architect recognizes the critical role that the industry plays in mitigating the environmental impact of construction. Noting a commitment to sustainability, the team’s projects consistently seeks to offset the ecological footprints of its creations. Through strategies including reallocation of vegetation, the creation of micro-climates, and the use of renewable materials, the Urupê Tower will stand as an example of the synergy between modern construction and environmental preservation.