Bernoulli Cidade Jardim
Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil 2022-2024BCMF Arquitetos signs another project for the Bernoulli Education Group in the neighborhood Cidade Jardim, in the Central-South region of Belo Horizonte. The new educational unit will be installed in a historic building over 70 years old, located on Avenida Prudente de Morais, in the former Colégio Pitágoras. Originally, in 1950, the site was chosen to house the Sacre Coeur de Jesus school, with the project led by engineer and architect Vicente Buffalo. The school accommodated more than 300 students and featured spaces for educational and religious purposes, exclusive areas for the nuns, a sports gymnasium, a cloister, and a floor dedicated to the novitiate. In 1977, Colégio Pitágoras took over the location and made some adaptations that did not affect the external architecture of the building, remaining in operation until the end of 2021.
The original building is a landmark in Belo Horizonte, with local and regional importance, even for those who have never visited it — reinforcing the connection between cultural heritage and the city’s social life. Although it has undergone some modifications over time, the building has preserved its architectural unity and remains a remarkable landscape element, a breathing space within a dense urban environment, contributing to the understanding of construction methods and the evolution of the city’s architecture.
The building’s overall state of preservation was quite satisfactory, especially considering its decades of educational use, the high volume of people, and the modernization adaptations it underwent. After the heritage listing, preservation guidelines were established focusing on the three blocks of the main building and the old chapel. These guidelines called for the preservation of façades and ornamental elements, the maintenance of the original ceramic-tile roof design, and the conservation of floors, finishes, and notable elements such as ornamental iron railings, wooden parquet flooring, hydraulic tile, and terrazzo.
The new Colégio Bernoulli rescues and preserves the historical and cultural characteristics of the original building — and goes further: it revitalizes, reconfigures, and modernizes the construction and its outdoor areas for a new life cycle. The new campus has an expanded area of approximately 20,000 m², with capacity for 2,000 students, covering Preschool through High School.
The intervention guidelines were divided into three distinct areas on the site, which needed to integrate harmoniously to ensure the institution’s proper functioning. The first is the “Permanent Preservation Area”, where the heritage-listed buildings are located. These structures were restored and adapted to meet new institutional needs while preserving their original architectural characteristics. The second is the “Landscape Preservation Area”, which enhances the site’s vegetative and contemplative qualities, improving its landscape value. The third is the “Expansion Area”, intended for the construction of new annexes and facilities, complementing the listed buildings and permeable open spaces, achieving a harmonious integration of the entire complex.
During the renovation, the building’s potential was further enhanced. The original wooden and iron frames were restored or replicated according to the original models. The central courtyard, for example, became an integrating space with a new landscape design, reinforcing the presence of the old chapel, now converted into an auditorium, as a symbolic and visual focal point of the complex. Two new vertical circulation towers, built in metal and glass, reinforce the symmetry of the ensemble and ensure accessibility. The interior areas, with distinct configurations and aesthetic treatments, received special attention, particularly due to heritage preservation requirements, and were designated for the school’s collective uses, such as the Library, Auditorium, Multipurpose Room, and courtyards.
Inside, the spaces were restructured while maintaining the existing structural rhythm and modulation. The interior design and signage reflect the concept developed for the Bernoulli Group, evolving in parallel with students’ academic growth. Each floor is distinguished by a unique color and educational graphic panels that highlight local culture through icons and elements of the city. The ceiling infrastructure was left exposed, facilitating maintenance and future adaptations, while integrating harmoniously with the school’s color scheme.
The project eliminated the makeshift alterations made over time that compromised the original architecture, proposing careful interventions that reinforce the qualities of the overall layout, architecture, interiors, and landscaping of the existing building. The expansion of the institution caused minimal impact on the listed area by demolishing outdated annexes and replacing them with new elements that dialogue with the scale and materiality of the existing building. The new architecture is distinctly contemporary, with elements inserted sensitively and harmoniously alongside the traditional character of the school, meeting current regulatory standards — such as accessibility and fire protection — as well as the intrinsic needs of a modern educational institution.
Thus, the project combines tradition and innovation, respecting the historical value of the building while creating diverse spaces for contemporary learning. The new campus exemplifies how architecture can bridge past and future, offering a modern infrastructure that preserves the architectural memory of Belo Horizonte, a young city known for erasing its past.
Project: Bernoulli Cidade Jardim
Location: Cidade Jardim, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais
Year: 2023
Area: 18,715.5 m²
Architecture: BCMF Arquitetos
Authors: Bruno Campos, Marcelo Fontes, and Silvio Todeschi
Team: Julia Fleury, Raquel Duarte, Patrícia Campos, Maria Carolina Resende, Thais Cedrolla, Marcos Guimarães, Alice Sá, Pedro Leão, Paola Vulcano, Sávio de Oliveira, Marina Penso
Status: Under Construction
Project and Construction Management: Três Pontos Gerenciamento de Obras Ltda
Traffic Impact Technical Studies: BETA Engenharia e Arquitetura
Complementary Installations Projects: Projelet/Ecom- Projeto de Sistemas Prediais Ltda
Geotechnical Studies and Projects: Consulgeo- Consultoria e Projetos Geotécnicos
Foundation and Structural Design: Bedê Engenharia
HVAC Design: Climatizar Engenharia Térmica e Automação
Acoustic Design: Oppus Acústica Ltda
Lighting Design: Atiaîa Lighting Design
Electronic Systems Consulting and Project Design: SOMITEC Sociedade de Montagem e Instalações Técnicas Ltda
Sound System Design: Wave
Waterproofing Project Consulting: Firmino Siqueira Consultores Associados Ltda
Construction Execution: UNI Construtora
Visual Communication Design: Hardy Design
Landscape Design: Forma Garden
Historical Heritage Consulting and Master Plan Development: Temporis
