In São Paulo’s bohemian district, a duplex penthouse presents an experimental interplay of contrasts that embodies the neighbourhood’s artistic vernacular.
Set in the community of Vila Madalena, surrounded by bars, restaurants, boutiques, and galleries, Fidalga Apartment is conceived as a family home by architecture studio Gurgel D’Alfonso. The 200-square-metre duplex accommodates the work and lifestyle needs of a couple who are YouTube culinary content creators and their two children. Gurgel D’Alfonso co-founders and architects, Rogério Gurgel and Caio D’Alfonso, reprogrammed the two-storey home to comfortably accommodate three bedrooms, each with an ensuite, a powder room, an office, and three outdoor terraces.
Carving fluidity into the floorplan required demolishing walls and relocating the kitchen to the centre of the home to support the owner’s lifestyle of hosting and filming. The architects juxtaposed cool and warm materials; contrasts unified by terracotta ceramic tiles laid throughout the ground floor, that also enhance the tactility of the spaces. “The choices reflect a pursuit of textures, finishes, and compositions that convey distinct sensations and elevate the experience of dwelling,” D’Alfonso explains.
The kitchen features Contexto Marcenaria custom-designed cabinetry with Mekal steel, Vitória Régia quartzite, Gorenje appliances, a Bertazzoni stove, Docol fixtures, a Reka Iluminação RK.05003 pendant, Lepri Cerâmicas tiles, ‘Untitled, 2024’ artwork by Rodrigo Zampol and vintage Sergio Rodrigues dining chairs from Galeria TEO tucked under a family heirloom dining table.
In the kitchen, Vitória Régia quartzite, an intense, exotic green stone, dresses the kitchen island, joined to the cool composure of a stainless-steel workstation. Balancing this tension, golden brass-panelled cabinetry with inset handles captures light and diffuses the warmth throughout the space. “The selection also fulfils a long-held desire of the residents: to explore unconventional finishes and textures in a home setting, introducing materials typically associated with industrial or commercial spaces—such as stainless steel and brass—in direct contrast with natural surfaces, without losing a sense of warmth”, D’Alfonso says.
Upstairs, in the private living spaces, the spaces adopt a reductive colour palette, drawing cues from the city’s skyline, with light-blue epoxy-coated floors. In the primary bedroom, this light-and-airy quality continues, with a custom-designed bed crafted from Virola plywood, cleverly integrating architecture and design to maximise floor space. The central unit comprises a bed, a wardrobe, a TV lounge, a neutral carpeted platform, and utility points. While in the primary bathroom, warmth returns, evoking a meditative space with Naranja Onyx benchtops and walnut cabinetry, complemented by terracotta tones in the ceramic tiles and concrete floors that shape the monolithic curved bathtub.
Merging the commercial and private requirements of their client’s needs, D’Alfonso says, “This home represents an intervention rooted in daily life—attentive to family routines, emotional ties, and technical demands, yet open to material experimentation and research.”
The living room features custom-designed cabinetry in Sucupira wood by Contexto Marcenaria with the Designers Group Gallery ELLE armchair by Luísa Attab and Forma table by Maximiliano Crovato, and a Santa & Cole Maija 15 table lamp by Ilmari Tapiovaara from FAS Iluminação.
In the office, a Wentz Capa chair is tucked under a custom-designed desk by Gurgel D’Alfonso with a Reka Iluminação RK.03195 wall light.
In the bedroom, the Virola plywood bed and cabinetry unit is custom-designed by Gurgel D’Alfonso, paired with a Bossa Estofados custom-designed sofa, Casa Fortaleza carpet, and a DSGNSELO Nube pendant.
The primary bathroom features custom-designed Naranja Onyx benchtops and walnut cabinetry, Docol fixtures, Mazza Cerâmicas tiles, and concrete floors by Resinaria.
Pictured on the terrace is the Sergio Rodrigues Tajá armchair from Dpot, a custom-designed seating bench made by Contexto Marcenaria, a custom-designed dining table by Gurgel D’Alfonso produced by Serralheria Baltieri, and Lepri Ceramics tiles.
