São Paulo – Building on Style

Architecture tours in São Paulo nourish the senses.

- By Ron Bernthal

With 12 million residents, the sprawling metropolis of São Paulo is the biggest city in South America … and definitely one of the most dynamic. It boasts four business districts, 39 municipalities and hundreds of neighborhoods, wealthy and poor, covered with flourishing trees and flowers. It’s no wonder Paulistanos say it takes a lifetime to truly understand the hyper-pulse of Brazil’s fast-moving city.

In recent years, São Paulo added so many innovative architectural structures to its stunning early- to midcentury residential and commercial districts, travelers to Rio de Janeiro began cutting short their time in that city to hop on one-hour commuter flights to experience São Paulo. Sexy new samba and juice bars, colorful cultural spaces and sharp-looking mixed-use projects seem to pop up overnight, and taking an architecture and design tour provides a feast for the senses.