Guaiçara is a visitor center located within an area dedicated to the conservation of the Atlantic Forest’s fauna and flora in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The space brings together different ways of engaging with this territory, welcoming visitors and accommodating educational activities, exhibitions, meetings, events, a restaurant and a shop, as well as an auditorium.

The site is also actively involved in forest restoration through the collection of seeds and the production of native species seedlings for reforestation. In this context, the building was conceived as an extension of the conservation and educational activities developed on the site.

In plan, the single-story building takes the shape of an S. Its geometry creates a sequence of spaces and courtyards that organizes the different uses while allowing the architecture to maintain a continuous relationship with the preserved landscape.

The timber structure and gabled roof, clad in German tiles with a glazed, scaled finish, give the building a distinct presence while maintaining a close relationship with the scale of the landscape. Large glass panels establish a direct connection between interior and exterior, bringing views of the surrounding vegetation into the building and turning the journey through the spaces into an experience of contact with the site.

Reflecting pools accompany part of the building’s footprint, mirroring the light and the roof while creating a transitional layer between the building and the ground. The water reinforces the building’s sense of lightness, making it appear to rest gently upon the landscape.

Inside, the exhibition space occupies a large and flexible area capable of accommodating different displays over time. This potential for transformation also informs the other spaces, allowing the center to welcome different audiences and activities while maintaining the coherence of the whole.

Guaiçara establishes a relationship between architecture, education and conservation. It is a place where discovering the forest, moving through it and understanding the processes that contribute to its recovery become part of the same experience.