One Brazilian Firm Brings the Rain Forest to the Heart of São Paulo

São Paulo will feature a multiuse building made of locally sourced timber, helping Brazil reach its Paris Climate Accord goals of reducing carbon in its cities

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Brazil is the 11th worst country in the world in terms of carbon emissions produced. Although that places them behind such countries as the United States, Iran, Russia, and Germany, Brazil still emits roughly 2.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per person. Yet, with the Paris Agreement that was signed in 2016, Brazil became one of the first major developing countries to sign on to an universal emissions reduction target between 36 and 39 percent in 2020. And at least some of that goal will manifest itself in the form of new and eco-friendly architecture.

It was recently announced that AMATA, a forest management company, and Triptyque, a Brazilian architecture studio (with offices in France), plan to build a structure entirely of Brazilian timber. Located in the sprawling city of São Paulo (an area frequently referred to as the capital of steel and concrete), the 13-story, multipurpose structure will be used as an office, residential, and commercial space. But unlike a building made of metal, it will also do much more than that.

The structure will go a long way in helping the country meet its proposed goals of the 2016 Paris Agreement. It was there that the largest country in South America (by way of economy and and mass) pledged to replant 12 million hectares of forest and reduce green-house gas emissions by 43 percent by 2030. "Wooden framed buildings are an efficient solution and may serve as a boost toward a change in the environmental consciousness of our societies," explained Dario Guarita Neto, cofounder and CEO of AMATA, in a statement. "As we replace nonrenewable resources with natural raw materials, we also help create a cleaner chain of production and we add value to certified forests."

Yet, the planned building won't only help the environment. With verdant flowers and plants spilling over the sides of balconies throughout the exterior, the building will have an aesthetic similar to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.