Joelma Building, Modernist skyscraper in downtown São Paulo, Brazil.

The Joelma Building is a 25-story reinforced concrete tower at Avenida 9 de Julho 225, with ten floors of parking and offices in two towers, North and South. Its facade is clad in tiles, with flat glass windows in aluminum frames; the photograph shows yellow vertical fins and dark window openings, a solid pale concrete wall on the left edge, and recessed open corridors in the upper section. A white sign reading "Entrada" with a downward arrow marks the ground-floor entrance.

Construction began in 1969 for Joelma S/A, and the building opened in 1971, immediately leased to Banco Crefisul. On 1 February 1974 a short circuit in a 12th-floor air conditioner started a fire that killed 179 to 189 of the 756 occupants. Closed for four years, it reopened in 1978 and was later renamed Edifício Praça da Bandeira.

The building represents the modern architecture that shaped São Paulo during the 1970s and shows how the city was rapidly changing. Its simple, functional design reflects the spirit of that era, when Brazil was introducing new high-rises into its urban landscape.

The building functions as an office complex and is best accessed during business hours, with the main entrance on Avenida 9 de Julho. After extensive upgrades, it now features modern safety systems that meet current standards.

The fire prompted Los Angeles to enact Regulation 10, requiring rooftop helipads on new buildings taller than 75 feet (23 m); it was rescinded in 2014 for the Wilshire Grand Center. In 2013, an inspector found the renovated building exceeded current fire rules, with tactile floors in escape routes.