RUA MARTINIANO DE CARVALHO, 255 TO 333
FORMER VILA ITORORÓ
FUTURE CENTRO CULTURAL VILA ITORORÓ (RUA PEDROSO, 238)
DESIGNED BY FRANCISCO DE CASTRO
BUILT IN 1916–22

The mascarons of former São José Theatre (Teatro São José), the second with this name, now decorate Vila Itororó.

Vila Itororó in the time during which it was built by portuguese general contractor Francisco de Castro (photo: Divulgação/Nelson Kon)

Result of the juxtaposition of decorative fragments from demolished constructions in the city of São Paulo, Vila Itororó came from the fertile imagination of Portuguese immigrant and master builder Francisco de Castro.

The most impressive of these buildings was the Teatro São José, inaugurated in 1909, designed by Swedish architect Carlos Ekman and demolished in 1924 to give way to the Alexander Mackenzie building, designed by North American architects Preston and Curtis to house the headquarters of Light, almost in front of the Teatro Municipal, a contemporary of the Teatro São José and largely responsible for its demise.

The São José Theatre (Teatro São José) can be seen along with the Ramos de Azevedo Square (Praça Ramos de Azevedo). Photo: Guilherme Gaensly. Instituto Moreira Salles Collection.

What remained of the Teatro São José can be seen today, reinterpreted, at Vila Itororó: monumental colonnades, classical allegories, caryatids, stained glass, decorative elements and the immense mascarons, like the one seen here, above.

Click on the images below to read the subtitles.

Também na fachada principal da Vila Itororó veem-se diversos vitrais circulares, além da inscrição MCMXXII – a data de inauguração do complexo. / One of several Vila Itororó´s circular stained glasses can also be seen on the main façade, besides the inscription MCMXXII – the date on which the complex was inaugurated.

Uma cariátide “reinterpretada” por um grafiteiro. / A caryatid was here “reinterpreted” by a graphitist artist.

Na entrada principal do complexo está a alegoria sedestre da Agricultura. Na mão direita ela traz um cacho de uvas e na esquerda ela porta alguns ramos de trigo. Também de trigo é a coroa que adorna sua cabeça. A escultura é projeto do artista francês Mathurin Moreau para as Fundições do Val d´Osne, também daquele país. / The Alegory of Agriculture lies in the house´s main entrance. She carries on her right hand a cluster of grapes and on the left hand she has some branches of wheat. A wheat crown adorns her head. The sculpture was designed by sculptor Mathurin Moreau for the French Val D´Osne Foundries.

The 5000 m2 Vila Itororó compound housed 36 rental homes plus the mansion in which the owner resided, in addition to the first private swimming pool in the city. The property is undergoing a thorough restoration since 2013 to house the Centro Cultural Vila Itororó.

See the curious Vila Itororó stained glass work.

See you!