The Campana brothers put a humble Brazilian brick centre stage at Aesop’s latest store
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

For Aesop’s second Sao Paulo location, the Australian skincare brand’s founder Dennis Paphitis tapped none other than international design stars and Sao Paulo natives Fernando and Humberto Campana, who have created a store that perfectly blends the Aesop philosophy with traditional Paulista architecture.
Located on the bustling Rua Harmonia in the city’s bohemian Vila Madalena neighborhood, the latest addition to Aesop’s staggering list of global outposts follows hot on the heels of the brand’s first South American opening – a boutique on Sao Paulo’s Rua Oscar Freire designed by Paulo Mendes da Rocha and Metro Associated Architects - which opened last year.
Set back from the street, the 112 sq m store is entered via a courtyard through an aluminium gate that flips open to create a roof during the day. Here, timber benches, a washbasin and a pergola with climbing plants create a relaxing social space where customers are encouraged to sit and stay a while.
Cobogó bricks take centre stage at Aesop’s second Sao Paulo outpost.
‘[Aesop’s] only request was their desire to include strong elements connected to the Brazilian culture in the store,’ says Humberto Campana of the design brief. ‘So we wanted to combine traditional characteristics of Paulista architecture with the Australian cosmetics brand’s symbols and values to create a space that goes beyond the traditional commercial function of a shop and offer the neighbourhood a meeting point.’
Sitting alongside a material palette of sisal fibre, concrete and plywood, the humble cobogó brick – a staple of Brazilian architecture – takes centre stage in the Campana’s design, forming not only the fixtures and furniture but the flooring, ceiling and an entire wall that stretches from the exterior courtyard right through into the interior. The bricks, which are typically used to provide ventilation and shade inside Brazilian homes, are characterised by their decorative perforated patterns, which are used here en masse to stunning effect.
‘We developed a special floor made of cobogó brick filled with concrete; a fully experimental work that resulted in a beautiful pattern,’ explains Humberto. ‘We employed sisal fiber as a natural background that complements the strong graphic effect created by the cobogó brick. We covered the walls with this fiber to use it as an acoustic element that also brings a zen atmosphere to the place. Live jasmine, an original component of Aesop fragrances, became the counterpoint to the earthy color palette, offering a natural colour contrast and a unique scent to the store.’
Sitting alongside a material palette of sisal fibre, concrete and plywood, the humble cobogó brick – a staple of Brazilian architecture – takes centre stage in the Campana’s design
Set back from the street, the 112 sq m store is entered via a courtyard
The brothers utilised the bricks for fixtures and furniture as well
The bricks, which are typically used to provide ventilation and shade inside Brazilian homes, are characterised by their decorative perforated patterns, which are used here en masse to striking effect
Timber benches and a pergola with climbing plants create a relaxing social space where customers are encouraged to sit and stay a while
The brickwork extends through the internal courtyard, including a specially developed floor of cobogó bricks filled with concrete
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Campana brothers’ website (opens in new tab) or the Aesop website (opens in new tab)
ADDRESS
Aesop Vila Madalena
Rua Harmonia, 343
Sao Paulo
VIEW GOOGLE MAPS (opens in new tab)
-
Wadi AlFann, AlUla’s new land art destination, is stirring creativity in the desert
Wadi AlFann – Saudi Arabia’s Valley of the Arts – hints at the scale of its ambition with an event in the desert for curators, artists and cultural leaders ahead of the completion of its site and first five artworks
By Simon Mills • Published
-
Colin King ‘Arranging Things’ book is an essential read for interior design inspiration and wisdom
Colin King ‘Arranging Things’, a new book published by Rizzoli, is filled with exquisite interiors and useful advice on finding beauty in everyday environments
By Pei-Ru Keh • Published
-
Watches and Wonders behind the scenes: building the world’s biggest watch fair
Discover how Watches and Wonders 2023, the year’s biggest horological event, is designed and built
By Hannah Silver • Published
-
Brazil family house by Estúdio Zargos bridges the gap between town and country
Estúdio Zargos designed this elegant modernist house for a steep site in Brazil’s Belo Horizonte
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Store concept by David Chipperfield Architects for Akris is simply ‘selbstverständlich’
An ethereal new store concept by David Chipperfield Architects for Akris is rolled out from Washington to Tokyo
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Treehouse in the Brazilian forest draws on its wooded context
A treehouse by Studio MEMM blends organic forms and architectural gestures to create a space from which to enjoy the wooded natural surroundings
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Flag House brings Brazilian modernism to Canada’s Whistler
Flag House, Canada, by Studio MK27 wins Best Ski Retreat at the 2023 Wallpaper* Design Awards
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Rinascente is reborn in Rome’s Piazza Fiume courtesy of design studio 2050+
Rinascente in Piazza Fiume, Rome gets a makeover by Milan-based interdisciplinary design agency 2050+
By David Plaisant • Published
-
This Brazil mountain retreat is a ‘timeless ruin‘
Bocaina-Paraty House is a timeless Brazil mountain retreat by architects Cicero Ferraz Cruz and Fábio Mosaner
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Casa Colina is a Brazilian home that connects with its landscape
Casa Colina by FGMF is a low, minimalist, contemporary home in the city of Porto Feliz, Brazil
By Ellie Stathaki • Last updated
-
Casa Floresta is a radical transformation of a traditional Brazilian house
Estúdio Zargos upends convention with this modernist extension to an existing house in Belo Horizonte
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated