Acolá Store came about from renovating a hair salon in the Pinheiros neighborhood. The small townhouse, with its floor plan tapering towards the rear, was dark and damp inside. The first design decisions hence included replacing part of the roof and part of the upper-story slab with glass. This brought light and air into all three levels of the building.

On the outside, the concrete of the original construction was maintained, while the brickwork of the facade was removed, making room for two ground-level windows. These are separated from the entrance by two metal pillars. A canopy over the windows protects them from direct sunlight and gives shelter. There are plans to add a bench and bicycle parking stand, and to revamp the sidewalk altogether.

Inside, the old layout gave way to diaphanous spaces, capitalizing on the increased input of daylight. Two zones are marked out. The front part contains the actual boutique at street level and an office above. Behind are the wet areas: sanitary installations downstairs and a storeroom upstairs.

A free-standing wooden volume appears at the center of the store. Its purpose is to guide movement and define areas: display, storage and two fitting rooms. An inner garden precedes some stairs that lead to a catwalk directly connected to the office.

The materials used in the project – peroba rosa wood and metalwork – try to express the natural line of Acolá items: natural fabrics handmade with stamping and dyeing techniques.