Renovation of Mashiach Now Public Square by Natureza Urbana

Mashiach Now Square is part of a broader urban regeneration initiative that reimagines São Paulo’s dense North Zone through a network of public spaces designed to restore ecological function, promote social life, and reconnect people with the territory. Situated in the Carandiru neighborhood, the 9.180,39 m² square lies at a key intersection between the city’s mobility systems and local pedestrian flows, serving as a daily passageway for residents heading to the Portuguesa-Tietê metro station and bus terminal.

For years, the site had suffered from disuse and neglect—dim lighting, trash accumulation, and minimal infrastructure had turned it into a void within the urban fabric. In 2024, however, a pivotal shift occurred: through the city’s “Adopt a Square” program, the space was adopted by Cidade Center Norte and selected as one of the first pilot interventions of the Parque Cidade Center Norte Masterplan, a comprehensive public space strategy envisioned by Natureza Urbana.

This masterplan proposes the transformation of underutilized and degraded areas into a network of accessible parks, plazas, green corridors, and civic infrastructure, creating a new district rooted in regenerative design and landscape urbanism. Within this framework, Mashiach Now Square became a testing ground for applying inclusive public programming and integrated mobility in a single urban intervention.

Ecological Design Rooted in Place
The landscape concept is grounded in the idea of recovering the pre-urban ecological memory of the site—once part of the biodiverse Atlantic Forest biome and shaped by rivers and floodplains. Sinuous paths and planting beds recall the movement of water across the territory, while native species were reintroduced to restore biodiversity and offer thermal comfort through increased canopy cover. All existing trees were preserved, and 78 new ones were planted, complemented by understory vegetation that supports urban wildlife and enhances seasonal interest.

The square functions today as a climate-responsive green space, offering shade, evapotranspiration, and areas of respite in a city increasingly affected by heatwaves. These nature-based strategies position the square as a cooling island in the urban grid and contribute to long-term urban resilience.

Collective Process and Inclusive Programming
One of the defining aspects of the project was its co-creative process. The landscape design evolved through public engagement. Input from community members, including children from a nearby public school, led to a “Wish List” that informed the functional and spatial layout of the intervention.

The result is a diverse and adaptable public space that balances activity and rest. The square features a mini sports court, skatepark, ping-pong tables, outdoor fitness equipment (including specific zones for seniors and calisthenics), and a playground accessible to children of different ages and abilities. Curved concrete benches, molded in situ, mirror the organic geometry of the paving and help define zones for gathering, contemplation, and movement.

Throughout the site, custom furnishings and vibrant red accents bring identity to the space and reinforce the visual continuity of the square’s design language. The main circulation axis is demarcated by a contrasting pavement tone, providing spatial clarity and allowing users to visually engage with all functions from any point along the path.

Integration with the Urban Fabric
More than an isolated public space, Mashiach Now Square acts as a node within a growing ecological and social network. Pedestrian paths and the new bike lane connect directly to São Paulo’s broader mobility infrastructure, strengthening accessibility and supporting active transportation. By enhancing walkability, creating safe crossings, and reinforcing human-scale spatial experiences, the project contributes to shifting this paradigm—bringing the pedestrian back to the center of the public realm.

A Regenerative Urban Model
Mashiach Now Square exemplifies how small-scale interventions can catalyze systemic change when embedded in a broader territorial strategy. It offers not just a revitalized urban space, but a model for future developments in dense metropolitan contexts: one that centers ecological restoration, community involvement, and public health.
Completed in early 2025, the project reclaims a forgotten void in the city and repositions it as a vital civic asset—lush, active, and inclusive. It stands as a tangible expression of the design principles set forth in Natureza Urbana’s work: Living Landscape, Network of Elements, Free Space Activation, and Place-Based Intention. Through this layered approach, Mashiach Now Square delivers lasting environmental and social value, strengthening the relationship between people and place in one of the most dynamic urban territories of São Paulo.

• Other credits:
Project Coordination: Manoela Machado and Pedro Lira (Natureza Urbana)
Project Leader: Camila Reis (Natureza Urbana)
Landscape Architecture Team: Bruno Santana, Nicollas Rangel, Jean Fortes and Levy Vitorino (Natureza Urbana)
Partners: Leandro Fontana and Alexandre Freitas (Planting Design); Flyramp (Skatepark Design); Ilumen (Lighting Design); Pilão Engenharia (Constructing).
Photos: Victor Lucena

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