Samba Dance School

Project Description :
The building is a response to the annual Brazilian Carnival. The building design augments the festive atmosphere from the public space into a series of interior and semi public space. The articulated volume is derived from the complex circulation paths, and site condition defined by the highways and space underneath them.

Form :
The design of the Samba dance school establishes a continuous, fluid relationship between the surrounding highways and the building’s circulation. The ambition for the project is to achieve a surface that appears homogenous and continuous, and vary the skin formation - undulations, bifurcations, folds, and inflections – to create broad range of spatial quality to accommodate different functional space.

Program :
Programmatically, the volume accommodates props, samba costumes, and truck access with a circulation loop at the ground level feeding into the main workshop space. This open workspaces allows visitors to interact directly with fabricators--offering a unique collaboration experience. Above the workshop, dance practice rooms are separated from the main workspaces with views of the landscape beyond.