Brazil

Coffee growing has been a key issue in the Brazilian economy since the mid-18th century. Minas Gerais, located north of São Paulo and Rio, is the main coffee-producing region. The studio GPA&A, founded by Gustavo Penna, worked on this premises, and looked for the right location to make it an emblem, respecting quality and attention to the whole production chain. Carmo Coffees, located in a strategic area of the city of Três Corações, thus emphasizes the aesthetics of the space.

Hence the rounded shape and open top like a skylight, providing day- and night-light effects. The entrance consists of a perforated plate of harvested beans, with a map of the region on the floor, thus presenting coffee as a precious commodity in its various stages of transformation.

On a wall covered with jute, the names of the farms and producers appear, and in the background, the sublimated translucent bean becomes the symbol of this ritual environment. Nearby, a staircase leads the visitor to a museum-like tunnel-corridor that leads to a large warehouse. In the “micro-lot” area, it is also possible to observe the treatment. The administrative area, on the second floor, completes the success of Carmo Coffees with this large open patio, reinforcing the light, the colors, and the feeling of quietude to this warm and solemn atmosphere.

Nathalie Dassa

https://www.gustavopenna.com.br/

Photo credit: Leonardo Finotti and Txai Ilg