In the late 1960s, under the leadership of architect and three-time mayor Jaime Lerner, Curitiba—capital of the state of Paraná in southern Brazil—began laying the foundations for what would become a globally remarked point of reference in sustainable urban planning. Adopting an infrastructure-first approach, the Instituto de Pesquisa e Planejamento Urbano de Curitiba (IPPUC) coordinated land use and public transport by focusing dense development and civic infrastructure along key transit corridors, integrating flood management into green space planning, and prioritising low-cost, adaptable solutions over capital-intensive projects. A centralised planning institution, IPPUC enabled swift implementation, at times sidestepping prolonged public debate. While not without its critics, this top-down approach delivered visible, iterative results that proved effective in its context. Within this framework, neighbourhoods like Ecoville were zoned for low-density housing, designed to contrast with the vertical growth concentrated along transit corridors. AGE360—a 124-metre residential tower—signals a new scale of development that reflects how Curitiba’s planning tools are being reinterpreted to meet changing urban demands.

Designed by São Paulo-based Architects Office and French-Brazilian practice Triptyque Architecture for developers AG7, AGE360 introduces a conspicuous vertical landmark in Curitiba’s Ecoville neighbourhood, a predominantly low-density residential area, as outlined by policy. The building’s design responds directly to its site conditions, with Barigui Park—a major ecological and social landmark in Curitiba—informing the project’s landscape design. Native species from the park extend into the ground floor, softening the site boundaries and visually anchoring the building in its context.

The base of the building follows the natural topography from west to east, creating a staggered insertion that allows for layered communal programming across different elevations. The perimeter fence defines a clear edge to the site, but the stepped landscaped entry—complemented by gardens and terraces—maintains visual permeability and a softened interface with Rua Paulo Gorski.

Located on a plot just under 4,000 sq m with a total built area of over 18,000 sq m, the project is conceived to rise prominently from within its context, offering expansive views of the surrounding urbanscape. Guided by local zoning regulations, the 36-storey tower was developed through 48 volumetric studies and iterative modelling, culminating in a form characterised by chamfered north and east façades – an astute response to planning constraints. These chamfered surfaces effectively reduce the building’s bulking mass as it rises while optimising views and orienting residential units to maximise natural light and openness, resulting in a sculptural, mineral-like volume.

On the ground floor, the building creates a layered internal landscape, with the housing’s communal spaces distributed across multiple levels, offering residents a variety of shared amenities such as a gourmet lounge, children’s playroom (brinquedoteca), party hall (salão de festas), open-air cinema, events area and a sports court. While it does not open directly to the street like some neighbouring developments, it prioritises a choreographed circulation sequence with distinct social and service entrances, a concierge zone and a controlled access point (guarita), enhancing both security and the formality of arrival.

The architectural identity of AGE360 is anchored in its exposed concrete exoskeleton, which allows for column-free interiors and flexible apartment designs. This external structural frame supports the slabs and beams along the perimeter, freeing the interior from load-bearing constraints and framing the tower’s slender vertical expression. Additionally, the geometry of the exoskeleton also defines the building’s visual language through a three-dimensional structural grid that simultaneously toes function, form and expression. The residential units range from 200 to 560 sq m; in select apartments, private terraces include gardens and swimming pools, further articulating the carved voids along the façade.

Unusually so, AGE360 locates its main shared amenities midway up the tower’s vertical expanse, as opposed to its ground level, which it uses for comprehensive internal landscaping. This centralised communal zone—including a pool, spa, wellness centre and gym—offers elevated views while fostering visual interaction within the vertical structure. As a gesture toward biophilic design, the project incorporates wind-resistant planting beds into balconies, forming a green envelope that seemingly links the building’s scale with the ground below. This vertical landscape continues the ecological logic of the base, drawing on the proximity of Barigui Park to introduce a semblance of nature into the experience of high-rise living.

Today, Ecoville is rapidly transforming into Curitiba’s premier neighbourhood, driven by the growth of its tech sector around the Vale do Pinhão and a sharp rise in property values (up by 17 per cent in 2024 alone). As developers race to redefine its skyline with taller, more luxurious and distinctly hedonistic towers, AGE360 positions itself within this wave of prestige residential design with optimal caution, offering panoramic views and wellness-focused amenities encased in a distinct architectural character. Yet its scale and exclusivity also prompt questions about whether the neighbourhood’s original appeal—its integration of green space, urban access and quality of life—can survive this push toward luxury and height.

Project Details

Name: AGE360
Location: Curitiba, Brazil
Typology: Residential
Client: AG7
Architect: ARCHITECTS OFFICE + Triptyque
Plot Area: 3,978 sq.m.
Built Area: 18,000 sq.m.
Year of Completion: 2024