Albuquerque & Takaoka
Encyclopedia
Albuquerque & Takaoka is one of the most significant and active architecture
, civil engineering
and real estate
development private companies of São Paulo
, Brazil
. It is mostly known for its role in creating the innovative Alphaville
concept of business and gated residential condominia
.
The firm was founded in 1951 by two young civil engineers, Renato de Albuquerque
and Yojiro Takaoka, who were colleagues and graduated together in 1949, in the course at the Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo (Polytechnic School), a traditional and high-quality engineering
college in São Paulo. Initially the small firm developed building projects of residential houses and small public and commercial buildings, including a church. With the boom of public works in the state, they soon got a piece of action and began working in heavy construction, such as bridge
s and viaduct
s, canal
s, larger public buildings, etc. The company also built several housing projects for the poor (Banco Nacional da Habitação).
In the 1970s, the company diversified into building residential high rises in the city of São Paulo, and created the concept of gated vertical condominia, with the first of its kind, "Ilhas do Sul", in 1973. In the succeeding years, it developed the first "Alphaville", in the county of Barueri
, and two other luxury condominia, "Aldeia da Serra" (near Alphaville) and "Toque-Toque Pequeno", in the beaches of the Northern coast of the state.
With the death of Yojiro Takaoka, the company changed its name to Albuquerque & Takaoka Participações, Ltda. and the Alphaville projects were passed to Alphaville Urbanismo.
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
and real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
development private companies of São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It is mostly known for its role in creating the innovative Alphaville
Alphaville, São Paulo
Alphaville is the commercial name of a real estate and gated communities development in Brazil and Portugal, constituted by a number of business and residential condominia. The name evokes the "first among cities" concept...
concept of business and gated residential condominia
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
.
The firm was founded in 1951 by two young civil engineers, Renato de Albuquerque
Renato de Albuquerque
Renato de Albuquerque is a Brazilian civil engineer and entrepreneur in the construction and real state businesses. He was the founder of a pioneering construction firm, Albuquerque & Takaoka in 1951 together with his fellow architect and friend Yojiro Takaoka...
and Yojiro Takaoka, who were colleagues and graduated together in 1949, in the course at the Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo (Polytechnic School), a traditional and high-quality engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
college in São Paulo. Initially the small firm developed building projects of residential houses and small public and commercial buildings, including a church. With the boom of public works in the state, they soon got a piece of action and began working in heavy construction, such as bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s and viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
s, canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s, larger public buildings, etc. The company also built several housing projects for the poor (Banco Nacional da Habitação).
In the 1970s, the company diversified into building residential high rises in the city of São Paulo, and created the concept of gated vertical condominia, with the first of its kind, "Ilhas do Sul", in 1973. In the succeeding years, it developed the first "Alphaville", in the county of Barueri
Barueri
Barueri is a Brazilian city in the state of São Paulo located in the northwestern part of the Greater São Paulo metropolitan area. The population in 2006 is estimated to be 265,549, the population density is 4,149.2 per km² and the area of 64 km²....
, and two other luxury condominia, "Aldeia da Serra" (near Alphaville) and "Toque-Toque Pequeno", in the beaches of the Northern coast of the state.
With the death of Yojiro Takaoka, the company changed its name to Albuquerque & Takaoka Participações, Ltda. and the Alphaville projects were passed to Alphaville Urbanismo.
External links
- Biography of Yojiro Takaoka (In Portuguese)
- Alphaville Urbanismo Home Page (In Portuguese)
- Congratulations, 30 Years of Alphaville. A short history of Alphaville, in Portuguese.