Alexandre Mackenzie Building, Commercial center in República District, São Paulo, Brazil
The Alexandre Mackenzie Building stands at the corner of Coronel Xavier de Toledo Street and Viaduto do Chá. Its lower floors are clad in light grey stone with tall arched openings, while the upper storeys are pale beige with fluted columns between windows and red awnings. The flat roof carries small flagpoles, and a dark metal canopy covers the corner entrance.
The building was completed in 1929 and initially served as headquarters for the São Paulo Tramway Light and Power Company. In 1999 it was transformed into Shopping Light, taking on a new role as a modern retail center.
The building is named after Alexandre Mackenzie, the company director who commissioned the 1925 project by the American architects Preston and Curtis. Its nickname, Prédio da Light, comes from the São Paulo Tramway, Light and Power Company, which built it as its headquarters. The metalwork and joinery were made by the Liceu de Artes e Ofícios de São Paulo.
The shopping complex is accessible through multiple entrances and sits in an active downtown area with good transportation connections. The various levels are connected by stairs, elevators, and escalators, making it easy to navigate through the spaces.
The building preserves its original elevators from the 1920s, which operate alongside modern equipment. These historic lifts are an example of how older infrastructure coexists with contemporary facilities.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,783 contributors worldwide.
