Edifício Sulacap, Art Deco office building in Salvador, Brazil.
Edifício Sulacap is a seven-story Art Deco building located at the intersection of Avenida Sete de Setembro and Rua Carlos Gomes, overlooking Castro Alves Square. The structure houses approximately 120 retail shops and smaller commercial spaces across multiple levels, making it a vibrant hub for commerce.
Edifício Sulacap opened in 1946, designed by Austrian architect Anton Floderer and Scottish architect Robert Prentice, both active in Brazil. Retired FAUFBA architecture professor Isaias Carvalho links it to Salvador's push for a "modern city" from the 1930s. In 2008 Nilde Nobre, of the State Culture Council, proposed its listing; provisional protection followed, and in 2016 the council backed the listing, sending the case to governor Rui Costa.
Gilberto Gil worked on jingles at Gravações JS, a studio in the building, and conductor Carlos Lacerda was another regular. During Salvador's Carnival the Sulacap served as one of the main meeting points in the city centre. Its roughly 120 shops keep the lower floors busy year-round.
The building stands at the corner of Avenida Sete de Setembro and Rua Carlos Gomes, facing Castro Alves Square, in Salvador's central district. Its eight floors plus basement hold around 900 square metres of footprint and 4,000 square metres of built area, so allow time to move between levels. A 2021 Correio report and Civil Defence survey found structural problems, with parts at risk of collapse due to lack of maintenance; check current access conditions before entering.
The building's preservation process began in 2008, when Nilde Nobre of the State Culture Council proposed listing it; provisional protection followed. In 2016 the council approved the listing and passed the file to governor Rui Costa. A 2021 Correio report, based on Civil Defence inspections, found structural parts at risk of collapse from lack of maintenance.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,834 contributors worldwide.