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38 Trends Booming Cities
São Paulo –
Unknown Metropolis
To call São Paulo a rude Moloch is definitely not wrong –
but it is certainly unfair, because not only is South America’s most gigantic
metropolis the commercial hub of Brazil, it is also a lively place to live.
Best Practice 03/2008
39
photos: urban zintel
Not only here in the Vila Madalena
district, São Paulo scenery does find
its warm requisite – on the left, the
view from the pool terrace of Hotel
Unique.
Best Practice 03/2008
40 Trends Booming Cities
Hotels
Emiliano
Rua Oscar Freire 384
Phone +55 (0)11 30 68 43 99
www.emiliano.com.br
The Emiliano is São Paulo’s first big
five‑star hotel, and it offers nothing but
the very best: In the baths, all the tubs
and sinks are made of Carrara marble.
From the spa, you can see the
city through the huge glass facade.
The helicopter that lands on the
roof every 20 minutes brings you safely
and quickly to the airport.
Hotel Unique
Av. Brigadeiro Luís Antonio, 4700
+ 55 (0) 11 3055-4700
www.hotelunique.com.br
Innovative architecture, design and love
for detail – whoever is looking for that,
is at home in Unique. The Sky Bar on the
roof of the hotel is the perfect meeting
place for night owls. From the terrace
with its swimming pool, you can
see the wonderfully brightly illuminated
skyscrapers of the Avenida Paulista.
And whoever thought there is only one
type of Caipirinha, is in for a big surprise
here: The Sky Bar serves eight different
types.
Renaissance
Alameda Santos, 2233
+ 55 (0) 11 3069 2233
www.renaissance.com.br
The Renaissance, situated close to
the Avenida Paulista, is located in one of
the most elegant districts, with posh
shopping streets and noble restaurants.
It is the ideal starting point for window
shopping.
Grand Hyatt São Paulo
Avenida das Nações Unidas, 13.301
+55 (0) 11 6838-1234
www.hyatt.com.br
The Grand Hyatt is located near São
Paulo’s financial district. It is regarded as
elegant and luxurious. To entertain
the guests, there are bars, lounges and
restaurants, with mainly Japanese,
French and Italian cuisine. You can relax
in the spa or in either of the two pools.
The banking district of the
Avenida Paulista – the financial
hub for 35 percent of Brazil’s GDP.
Best Practice 03/2008
Perhaps it is really like Marcos says, and one dis­
covers São Paulo afresh every day in this street. He
leans on a wall, and behind him is the graffiti that
makes the street Rual Luis Murat famous. Blue cur­
licues stretch across the cracked wall plaster, and
green lines, and orange‑colored heads. “Many ­artists
have vented their anger here.” He points to the image
behind him. “It is by Beco. One of our greatest.”
Vila Madalena. The artists’ district. The home of
the Bohemians, students, intellectuals and painters,
photographers and musicians. Here, the bars and
clubs line up next to each other, and one flea market
after the other fills up the streets. “In our district, art is
alive. You can grasp it everywhere,” says Marco. In the
galleries of the established painters, and in the social
projects, where street kids learn how to express them­
selves artistically. “Clearly, São Paulo has a bad repu­
§
tation, but then, we are making it better everyday.”
That is what makes this district, that is what makes this
city so magnificent.
Marcos smiles. “This is after all not Rio de Janei­
ro.” São Paulo’s residents smile at the calm noncha­
lance of the “cidade maravilhosa,” the wonderful
city with its Sugar Loaf and wide stretch of beaches.
He says: “We live in the more exciting city.” It sounds
almost defiant. “Let‘s face it, this here is more than
New York and Shanghai altogether.”
What is the best thing about this district? Apart
from art. Marcos does not think twice, he raises his
hand as if he is holding a bottle and says: “Drink cold
beer, listen to music and then explore the city.”
Loud laughter comes from the bar next door. The
sound of soft Bossa Nova fills the air, until it suddenly
blends with the wailing sirens of a police vehicle. At
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Restaurants
D.O.M.
Rua Barão de Capanema 549
Phone +55 (0)11 30 88 07 61
www.domrestaurante.com.br
Mon-Fri 12am-3pm, 7 pm-midnight,
Sat 7pm-1am
Chef Alex Atala has his own TV show and
knows how to use traditional ingredients
to create an extraordinary dish. His
restaurant is regarded as one of the
nation’s best. Regional specialties from
Northern Brazil are served here.
Lovely view: In the halls and
courtyards, bars and spas
of many hotels – as seen here
in Fasano – Paulistas
also enjoy wining and dining.
A. Figueira Rubaiyat
Rua Haddock Lobo 1738
Phone +55 (0)11 30 63 38 88
www.rubaiyat.com.br/figueira
Mon-Fri 12am-3.30pm, 7pm-midnight,
Sat and Sun 12am-midnight
The fig tree, from which the restaurant
lends its name, characterizes the
unique atmosphere of one of the finest
restaurants in the city, where Mediter­
ranean dishes are prepared in clay ovens.
Amadeus
Rua Haddock Lobo 807
Phone +55 (0)11 30612859
www.restauranteamadeus.com.br
Mo-Fri 12am-3pm, from 6pm,
Sat and Sun 12am-4.30pm, from 7pm
The Amadeus is regarded as one of
the best fish restaurants in the city – Its
set‑up is both elegant and simple. The
managers lay great emphasis on perfect
service: Every guest is welcomed with
freshly‑prepared oysters.
the Praça Benedito Calixto, two men sit down. They
play the guitar and soon, the rhythm of their melody
captures the entire place.
Let’s get going then. Marcos says the city is
probably most interesting in Avenida Paulista, the
kilo­meter‑long open strip across the colorfully‑re­
flecting concrete fortresses of the Modern Age. The
street is the main hub of the financial world, a boule­
vard of banks and international companies. Majes­
tic skyscrapers and imposing shopping centers lie
densely‑situated next to each other. In between, rise
the residential buildings of the rich, the “Jetsons,” as
they are called here, because they no longer have to
set foot in front of the door. Their helicopter carries
them away above all the imponderabilities of every­
day life.
The Avenida Paulista continues straight on to
Cemitério de Consolação, the huge cemetery, where
the marble angel statues watch over the graves of
great Brazilians of the past. Palm trees and small
spots line the splendid boulevard, and here and
there, a pair of old manor houses bow down to the
greatness and power of the new office towers that
surround them, just like the Casa das Rosas, which
is reminiscent of another era with its pillars and ter­
races; a time, when São Paulo was going through an
upheaval, and it set out to become the most gigan­
tic city in South America, and the third largest in the
world. The heart of Brazil’s economy.
1554: In the middle of the jungle, on the only hill
they discovered, two Portuguese Jesuit monks built
a church. From then on, the missionary city remains
on the plateau for 300 long years, poor and forgot­
Best Practice 03/2008
PHotos: urban zintel/Guide: rio-brazil-guide.com (3)
Fogo de Chão
Av. dos Bandeirantes, 538
Phone +55 (11) 5505-0791
www.fogodechao.com
Mon-Fri 12am-4pm and 6pm-midnight,
Sat 12am-midnight, Sun 12am-11pm
Different types of meat served in Brazilian
ambience – whoever likes it good
and solid, should visit Fogo de Chão.
42 Trends Booming Cities
ten by the rest of its massive colonial empire. It was
not until the train puffed to the port of Santos in
1867, bringing coffee from the hinterland for the
ships crossing the Atlantic, did everything change.
The coffee barons take over the city, and with their
success, came the immigrants. The Italians, Poles,
Germans, Spaniards and the Japanese. The city
grows and grows, drifts down the plateau, grabs the
forest and accommodates rural emigrants from the
Northeast, from the Amazon, and from the South,
the land of the Gauchos. In 1885, the city had
30,000 residents. Only 20 years later, and they are
already ten times as much.
Ever since, the number doubles every 14 years.
The city expands and stretches until it reaches 100
kilometers from East to West and 80 kilometers from
North to South, until it is half as big as North‑RhineWestphalia, and until there are 20 million people liv­
ing in it, well guarded in the fancy districts of Jardins,
Alto de Pinheiros or Morumbi, and densely crowded
in the “favelas,” the poor districts that are not record­
ed on any map.
We drive further, toward the North, penetrating
deeper into the obscure network of the streets, past
gleaming high‑rise buildings that are surrounded by
crooked shacks. It might take a few minutes to get
downtown from here or rather, two hours. It depends
on the traffic, “obstipação,” as they say here. A word
that actually refers to real human feeling of consti­
pation, but which properly describes the local rush
hour.
Our car moves ahead at a snail’s pace. It is one
of 6.1 million vehicles in the city, pushed about by
motorcyclists, who do not keep to any lane and any
traffic regulation. When the traffic light jumps to
red, a few young people hang a candy wrapper at
the side mirror, having written on it: “I am out of
work. Please help me with a Real.”
Poverty is still intense, even though São Paulo
hopefully has its worst years behind it. The bloody
Shopping
Rua Oscar Freire (Oscar Freire Street)
The Rua Oscar Freire is also known as the
“Luxury square,” and it has a reputation
that goes beyond Latin America as one of
the best business and shopping streets
in the world. The stores here and in the
surrounding streets include Louis Vuitton,
Armani, Dior, Montblanc, Cartier, Fendi,
Kenzo, MaxMara, Ermenegildo Zegna,
Versace, Diesel, Cartier, Cavalli, Bulgari,
Salvatore Ferragamo, Custo Barcelona,
Miss Sixty, Replay and Tiffany & Co., as
well as some of the most famous fashion
houses in Brazil: Alexandre Herchcovitch,
Forum, Ellus, NK Store, Sergio K and
Osklen.
Shopper’s paradise: 250,000
stores, 72 of which are shopping
centers are very attractive– seen
here is the Forum in the Arab
township of Jardins.
Iguatemi Shopping Center
Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 2232
Phone +55 (0)11 38 16 61 16
www.iguatemisaopaulo.com.br
It is one of the most elegant shopping
centers in the city. All the top brands can
be found here under one roof: Tiffany’s,
Louis Vuitton, Bally’s… And it does not
stop there: Besides very good restaurants
and bars, several movie theaters
are also available here for the guests.
Best Practice 03/2008
photos: urban zintel
Daslu
Avenida Chedid Jafet 131
Phone: +55 (0)11 38 41 40 00
www.daslu.com.br.
In Daslu Shopping Center (with its own
helicopter landing strip) the trademarks of
Chanel, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada
and Gucci prevail.
43
Salve Jorge Bar in the old part
of the town – is the first port
of call for delicious tapas and
the best Cachaças – the
noble liquor of the Brazilians.
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44
Interview
“Facts and prejudices”
Massuo Uemura , The CEO of T‑Systems Brazil
on São Paulo
What is T‑Systems’ core business in Brazil?
With 2,000 employees at eleven sites, T‑Systems at
­present is among the national market leaders. Our core
business for the year 2008 lies in Dynamic Services, with its hubs in the informa­
tion processing centers of São Paulo and São Bernardo do Campo, and our
Software Development division in Blumenau is aimed at companies worldwide
that also communicate and work in German language. Our target markets
are automotive, finance, health sectors, and the Brazilian affiliates of European
­parent companies.
Why did you choose São Paulo as the headquarters?
São Paulo is the financial and business hub of Brazil and the whole of South
America. You will find the most important companies in the entire nation
all around this city. I would say – even now – and more so in the future, our most
important customers are here as well.
Where will you be next weekend – In Blumenau or Copacabana?
Most definitely Copacabana , with the famous Ipanema beach.
Best Practice 03/2008
The best thing about São Paulo is the shuttle flights to Rio - isn’t it?
No. Rio is beautiful and colorful, but São Paulo is the biggest city in South
­America. It is a cosmopolitan hub where deals are made. There are all kinds
of restaurants, theaters, parks, bars, shopping possibilities, and sports
arenas here, and it is only 80 kilometers from here to the sea or to the mountains.
There are a lot of prejudices about Brazil – which ones do you want to
­clarify at this point?
The images of the carnival, soccer and beautiful beaches make one think that
Brazilians are quite lazy and always nonchalant. Actually, Brazilians are very
hard‑working, extremely flexible, always professional, and they can come to an
agreement with very different cultures and circumstances. I couldn’t agree more
with you on this ability based on my experience in many different countries.
Where do you like best in São Paulo?
Most definitely the Ibirapuera Auditorium in Ibirapuera Park – I go to Brazilian
concerts or great Jazz events there. The building was designed by Oscar Nie­
meyer, one of the internationally‑acclaimed exponents of modern architecture.
If you had to make a wish, what would it be?
Business‑wise, I would like to be number one among Brazil’s ICT service provid­
ers. Privately, I would be satisfied with becoming the soccer coach of the Brazil­
ian national team, and leading the team to its sixth victory at the next World Cup.
LinkS
www.t-systems.com.br
www.capital.sp.gov.br
photos: urban zintel (above), PR
The Mecca of music: The
auditorium in Ibirapuera Park is
designed by the Brazilian
architect Oscar Niemeyer.
Trends Booming Cities 45
Bars
Le Roi
Rua Doutor Mário Ferraz 514
Phone +55 (0)11 30 71 25 40
www.leroirestaurantebar.com.br
Tues-Fri 12am-3pm, 6pm-dawn,
Sat and Sun 12am-dawn
Newly‑opened bar, where mostly the beauti­
ful and the rich in the city can be found.
Barkeeper Clebio, renowned for his Martinis
and cocktails, mixes the hottest drinks:
Maracaibo, made up of dark rum, orange
liquor, hot coffee and cream.
Bar Brahma
Av São João, 677
Phone +55 (0) 11 3333-0855
www.barbrahma.com.br
Mon-Sat 5pm open end
The Brahma bar, one of the oldest bars
in São Paulo, is known for its casualluxurious atmosphere. Food is served here,
and there is live Samba and Jazz. The
­wood‑­paneled bar offers an atmosphere
where you can relax for hours.
Economic data
São Paulo
About 11 million people – officially – live
in São, but population experts have
long suspected twice the number of residents,
and which makes up nonetheless, almost
12 percent of all Brazilians.
The city contributes to 35 percent of the
GDP, and is involved in 40 percent of Brazil’s
industrial production: 67 percent of all motor
vehicles are manufactured here, 81 percent of
all machines and equipment, 65 percent of
chemical products, 61 percent of textiles and
53 percent of electronic devices.
São Paulo contributes to more than
50 percent of Brazil’s internal revenue. The
annual per capita income of the city is 5,800
U.S. dollars, almost higher than
80 percent of that of the rest of the nation.
pproximately 1000 German companies
A
have their headquarters here. They employ
about 230,000 workers. This makes the
São Paulo area – in relation to the number of
people employed – the biggest German
industrial city worldwide. 15 percent of Brazil’s
industrial production is managed by German
companies based in Brazil.
year of 2007 seems to be forgotten. Gone are the
»guerra urbana«, as gangsters and policemen en­
gaged in street fights for three days, and more than
100 people lost their lives on the sidewalks down­
town. Even though the newspapers are filled with re­
ports about bank robberies, mugged pedestrians,
and criminals being shot – just recently, São Paulo
was crowned the fifth friendliest city in the world.
Whoever lives here, announces the judge, doesn’t
throw his trash on the street, often says “Thank you”
and holds the door for others.
The Paulistas, as São Paulo residents call them­
selves, are forward‑looking. At least, the city has be­
come greener. The metro lines are being extended.
The authorities have banned soliciting downtown.
But is it of any good?
In the center of the city, soars the Catedral da
Sé to the sky, gray and huge, and equipped with the
best organ. The church looks like a relic from the co­
lonial era, but like a lot of things in São Paulo, it is
less than 50 years old. At the forecourt of the cathe­
dral, believers stand day in day out, and armed with
amplifier and microphone, they preach the gospel.
We, however, continue through downtown. We
weave our way through Rua 25 de Março, past
­mobile traders offering their goods for sale, bags,
shoes, jewelry, phones and toys; and a few minutes
later, we walk into the halls of Mercado Municipal,
the indoor market. The most important meeting
point for the gourmets of the city. The traders sell
350 tons of grocery everyday here; oranges, man­
goes, dried fish, coffee. The stands are almost over­
flowing, the air smells of exotic fruits. To the right
is the Hocca Bar, where they serve the best stockfish pies. But we want to go to Bar do Mane. No­
where, not in São Paulo, not in the entire world, can
one find a better sandwich with warm Mortadella.
A dream.
Twenty minutes later, we pass by the Teatro Mu­
nicipal, a magnificent building with gilded balus­
trades, and a chandelier made out of 6,000 polished
crystals, that once was modeled on the Opéra de
Paris. It is a site of memorable operatic performanc­
es. Taking a break is out of the question. People are
pushing each other across the streets and squares,
they are bustling around the cars on the wide roads,
and ignoring red stoplights. Hardly any driver still
honks in São Paulo. It is of no use anyway.
The endless city
Shortly thereafter, an elevator carries us up to the
observation terrace of Edifício Itália, 150 meters
high. The view from here reaches kilometers away.
But it does not reach the edge of the city. One can­
not guess where it ends, let alone see it. Beneath us,
a maze of streets spread out, a pile of houses, mon­
uments, churches, so many, that one suspects that
one will never be able to explore them in a lifetime.
There below, 250,000 stores, nearly 13,000 restau­
rants, 72 shopping centers, 26 universities and 124
museums group together, and the skyscrapers pro­
trude to the sky like needles.
The old downtown has a lot of charm – from up
here. There – is the Colégio Caetano de Campos,
over there – the stand terraces of Pacaembu Stadi­
um – over here – is the Santa Ifigênia viaduct. We
look across to Ceasa, where the most beautiful flow­
er market of the city is located, and we search ardu­
ously for the Praça Benedito Calixto, with its markets
crowded every Saturday with thousands of people
who want to buy sweet sugarcane juice, musicians
striking up cheerful songs, and political nerds shout­
ing their messages to the world with the mega­
phone.
To the left beside us is the Copan, the elegant
residential building, a gigantic and boldly curved S
made of reinforced concrete. It is a superb feat by
Brazil’s famous architect Oscar Niemeyer. It was
built in 1966. Five thousand people live here, which
led among other things, to the building even receiv­
ing its own zip code at some point in time.
A model for the “Big Apple”
Anywhere we look, we see nothing but the city. And
no corner of this endless metropolis looks like the
other. How is it even supposed to? 62 different cul­
tures live here, and they all maintain their festivities
and customs. The Japanese live in Liberdade, the
Italians in Bixiga, the Arabs in Jardins, and the Jews
in Bom Retiro. São Paulo is exactly the melting pot
New York wants to be.
However, the clouds are now gathering, they
throw dark specks on the city, which lies in immacu­
late white before our feet. The jungle parks light up
in green, and the swimming pools on the roofs of the
houses glow in blue.
Sunday evening at the Parque do Ibirapuera.
The park is São Paulo’s green lung. It was construct­
ed in 1954, when the city celebrated its 400th birth­
day. 300,000 people pour in here every week, stroll­
ing under the lush greenery, under the palm trees
and eucalyptus trees, and young people circling
around on skateboards. A group of people stand on
the edge of a small lake, twenty, thirty perhaps. They
are looking in anticipation at the man in the yellow
undershirt. A magician. He performs one trick after
another. We think we can see snakes, scorpions,
horses. All of a sudden he asks the crowd: “Who
amongst you believes in God?” They all raise their
hands. Unanimously. “Then please give God a round
of applause!”, shouts the man. They all clap, and
they all smile.
A few birds glide across the sea. They circle
around the Bandeiras monument briefly, before they
disappear into the twilight of the evening sky. Far
away, the high‑rise buildings of Avenida Paulista
glow, softly bathed in the light of the setting sun.
Franz Lenze
Best Practice 03/2008