The building, a landmark of the Brutalist style in modern Brazilian architecture and a notable expression of the Paulista School, was designed to house the School of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of São Paulo (FAU-USP). The project, created in 1961 by architects João Batista Vilanova Artigas and Carlos Cascaldi, was constructed between 1966 and 1969. Built using exposed concrete and glass, and characterized by the simplicity of its forms, the building was conceived to create a sense of spatial continuity.
The six floors that make up the structure are connected by wide ramps with gentle and varying slopes, creating the perception of a single, continuous plane.