Copan Building

Niemeyer's sweeping wave above São Paulo: the Edifício Copan is one of the world's largest apartment buildings and the urban soul of the city.

The Edifício Copan is Oscar Niemeyer's most urban masterpiece: a 32-storey residential building with a sinuous curved form rising from the heart of São Paulo. The design dates to 1951, construction ran from 1957 to 1966 with several pauses — Brazil was relocating its capital from Rio to Brasília and resources flowed elsewhere. The building contains over 1,160 apartments, making it the world's largest residential building by floor area. At ground level, arcades of shops, galleries, restaurants and bars create a city within the city. Though considered run-down in the 1980s, the Copan has undergone significant gentrification in recent years. Today its undulating facade is one of the most recognisable urban images in Brazil.