Light, architecture and sustainability in the expansion of a cultural icon

Sustainable architecture and responsible design

One of the most distinctive elements of the new building is its perforated and pleated metal façade, which acts as a protective "skin". This architectural solution controls the incidence of natural light, reduces the thermal load and improves energy efficiency, relieving the air conditioning system. The timeless design, with simple shapes and durable materials, reflects a sustainability that goes beyond the technical: it is an architecture designed to last, without the need for major future interventions.

The project has obtained LEED certification, thanks to its intelligent ventilation systems, its efficient thermal envelope and its respectful integration with the urban environment. This sustainability vision aligns with the values of ERCO, whose lighting technology is designed for durability, efficiency and flexibility.

Museum lighting: precision, comfort and versatility

The lighting of the new MASP was developed by Fernanda Carvalho's lighting studio and Paula Carnelós's studio (Acenda) with a technical and curatorial approach that prioritizes visual comfort and the conservation of the works. The galleries, with a clear height of 4.95 meters, allow a generous spatial experience, while the light accompanies the visitor without interference.

The ERCO Eclipse luminaire family was chosen for its adaptability: A single typology can be used to achieve a wide range of effects, from uniform wallwashing to spotlighting of display cabinets and sculptures. Thanks to its interchangeable optics, accessories and dark light technology, Eclipse allows the light to be adjusted to each work and space without the need to change luminaires, which reinforces its sustainable nature.

Thanks to dark light technology, the visitor circulates through the space enjoying visual comfort, observing the works both on the walls and in the centre of the rooms without glare. The ceiling grid allows the luminaires to be positioned flexibly, adapting the beam to each construction site, even when it is not mounted on the wall. This ability to adapt is key in a museum that is constantly changing its exhibition narrative.

In addition, ERCO luminaires are designed for a service life of more than 20 years. Its design responds to criteria of functionality and longevity, not to passing fads. This philosophy allows the lighting system to remain current and efficient over time, adapting to the changing needs of the museum without compromising its aesthetics or performance.

A museum for the future

With five new galleries, educational spaces, technical areas and a comprehensive improvement in air conditioning, security and lighting, the new building doubles the total area of the MASP and increases its exhibition capacity by 66%. This expansion not only transforms the physical structure of the museum, but also the cultural experience of its visitors.

Find out more about the architecture and lighting design of the MASP:
Interview with lighting designers Fernanda Carvalho and Paula Carnelós

What was the central lighting concept you defined for the new MASP? What kind of experience did you intend to offer the visitor through light?
From the outset, the lighting project for the new MASP building was based on the premise of creating a high-performance exhibition system, with the quality of light for the works of art and the flexibility of the solutions adopted as priorities. We developed a system that allows us to configure various environments and light designs for the most varied exhibitions held in the exhibition halls.
Our goal was that the light could freely create different atmospheres that would favor the full enjoyment of the works, always guaranteeing the standards of museological quality.

How was this concept translated into concrete solutions in the museum? What strategies and resources were used to materialize it in the different spaces?
The architects wanted all the complex building facilities required for an exhibition hall to meet the highest museological standards and be harmoniously arranged on the ceiling of the halls. To do this, they created a metal grating located under the various installations, such as ducts, pipes, sprinklers and other technical elements. We then proposed a distribution of electrified rails aligned with the arrangement of the plates of this grid, which allowed the free use of the Eclipse projectors. This rail network allows you to reach the ideal positions for different lighting effects. In this way, we achieve a perfect wall wash effect on the walls of the rooms, create highlights of different sizes for the works, use framer cutouts when necessary and illuminate the display cabinets with precise control of undesirable reflections and shadows.

What role does light play in the MASP's museography narrative? How does it help to enhance the works, guide the public or transform the perception of the space?
Light plays a fundamental role in the construction of the space idealized by the MASP's curatorship and museography teams. We have been lighting the museum's exhibitions for ten years, we have accumulated experience and we have developed a language of light that accompanies the artistic proposals of the MASP, valuing the creation of pleasant and accessible spaces for different audiences, always in accordance with the museological requirements of preservation of the works.
A central aspect of our projects is to establish a coherent visual relationship between the works of art, the space and the movement of the public. In addition, the light must ensure high colour fidelity for both objects and environments, especially when colours are used on display panels, for example.

Interview with Miriam Elwing, Project Manager and Architecture (Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand)

The MASP project was a double challenge: to adapt an existing building and, at the same time, to create a museum. As an architect, how did you conceptually face this transformation?
Avenida Paulista, opened at the end of the 19th century, was originally occupied by mansions belonging to the coffee elite, evolving into residential and vertical services use from the 1950s onwards. In recent years, this avenue has consolidated its cultural and leisure vocation, bringing together seven cultural institutions and exclusive pedestrian use on Sundays.
The expansion of the museum with the transformation of the Dumont Adams residential building into the new Pietro building of MASP, connected to the original building by an underground passage, is in line with the context of new uses for Paulista Avenue and its surroundings.
The adaptation was quite challenging, as the original building had low-ceilinged slabs, a vertical circulation set right in the center of the floors, and a structure with load-bearing capacity for residential and non-institutional use.
 
What were the main challenges that arose in this process?
The main challenge, without a doubt, was the conception of a building that would be the expansion of the iconic headquarters building designed by the architect Lina Bo Bardi, in order to respectfully dialogue with the architecture of the headquarters building.
Based on this original intention of the project, the technical challenge of modifying the center of gravity of the structure is posed by moving the core from the center to the side of the building.
And finally, we faced the challenge of executing the interconnection tunnel between the buildings under the sidewalk of Avenida Paulista, without interrupting the flow of pedestrians and causing as little inconvenience as possible.

In terms of lighting, what specific requirements were already defined from the beginning? What atmosphere or visual conditions were sought to be created in the different environments?
We are looking for a solution with maximum flexibility of resources. We seek to assemble a set of luminaires that can offer different effects, from the changes of lenses. And we also had as premises the robustness, ease of handling and long useful life of the equipment

How would you describe the light in the new museum space? What sensations or experiences does it intend to arouse in the visitor?
The goal is for the light to allow the reading of the works with the highest fidelity of colour and texture perception possible, with a good distribution of light over each of the works, without variations or shadow zones. And the gallery space must be lit in a pleasant way, to offer a favourable environment for the enjoyment of the works.  This result is the combination of a very well-designed lighting project for each exhibition, with the use of excellent quality luminaires.