Members’ club Soho House has opened its first branch in South America, taking over a historic building in São Paulo and creating interiors influenced by Brazilian modernism.
Soho House São Paulo is located in Cidade Matarazzo, a collection of early 20th-century Italian maternity buildings in the Bela Vista neighborhood that have been restored over the past two decades.
Located one block from Avenida Paulista – one of the city center’s main thoroughfares – and the São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand Art Museum, the hotel features 32 guest rooms as well as a restaurant, bar and members’ club rooms.
“The interior design of the house is inspired by the city’s rich Portuguese heritage and Brazilian modernism,” said the Soho House team.
Soho House Design worked with local artisans to source Brazilian-made furniture and decorations for the hotel and club, which are arranged around a central courtyard.
This green open-air terrace is equipped with rattan chairs, round tables and green and white parasols and offers space for up to 68 members and guests to gather and dine al fresco.
Large arched glass windows bring light into the club rooms on the ground floor, where there are several lounge areas, including a living room that can be used for working during the day and a main bar where DJs play.
The games room features a pool table with a navy blue tabletop and a large yellow sofa element, while the living room features an ornate marble fireplace and a second bar.
Soho House São Paulo also has two event spaces: the Condessa Room and the Zambone Room on the second floor, which has a private bar and video projector.
The artworks surrounding the building form a collection assembled by the Soho House team, which includes the works of 60 artists born, based or trained in Brazil.
A surrealist mural in the main bar entitled “Pernas, pra que te quero!” was created by local artist Marcelo Cipis.
Guest rooms on the upper floor vary in size, with the larger ones featuring freestanding bathtubs and living areas, and some also have a private terrace.
The rooms on the upper floor feature textured plaster walls, dark wood furniture and boldly patterned curtains reminiscent of Brazilian modernism.
“The lighting and furnishings in each bedroom are locally sourced, including the reclaimed wood floors and hand-painted tiles in the bathrooms,” the team said.
“At the same time, all fabrics and accessories were made in Brazil or handmade in São Paulo,” they added.
A second development phase, scheduled to be completed in 2025, will see the construction of a gym with several fitness and spa areas, as well as a rooftop pool bar with loungers for sunbathing.
Soho House currently operates 42 locations worldwide, including recent openings in North and South America, including Mexico City, Nashville, Austin and a third location in Los Angeles.
The group was founded in London in 1995 by Nick Jones and became known for its distinctive rustic and eclectic interior design style, which has since evolved to reflect contextual clues to the location of each individual home.
The photographs are by Christopher Sturman.
