Luminar, Marista Arquidiocesano School Library, establishes dialogue between tradition and contemporaneity.

Designed by Finestra Arquitetura, the project for the library of the largest Marist school in Brazil offers multifunctional, welcoming, and symbolic spaces.

The renovation of Luminar library at Marista Arquidiocesano School marks an important step in the institution’s ongoing modernization. With nearly 4,000 students and high daily circulation, the school needed a space capable of supporting contemporary learning practices while honoring the Marist tradition of community, hospitality, and integral education.

The new library is a multifunctional and welcoming environment that supports individual study, collaborative work, and pedagogical activities.

Founded in 1858 and housed at its current Vila Mariana campus since 1935, the school has a long-standing presence in São Paulo’s educational landscape. Its diverse community — spanning Kindergarten through High School — required a library that could serve as a flexible academic and social hub, suitable to receive not only students and educators, but also families who remain at the school throughout the day.

The main challenge was to accommodate different forms of learning and interaction in a unified space capable of meeting five fundamental principles:
1. Flexibility for dynamic teaching methods and varied spatial arrangements;
2. Comfort and welcoming atmosphere, expressed through cozy materials and soft lighting;
3. Spaces for concentration, oriented towards the new window openings on the side facade;
4. Collaborative environments, including rooms with acoustic treatment and informal seating;
5. Institutional identity, translated into colors, symbols, and spatial organization.

The program is organized into clear zones: silent individual study areas, group study rooms with acoustic isolation, flexible classrooms, lounge and reading spaces, and a substantial institutional collection exceeding 36,000 items.

Light-toned wood shelving, continuous flooring, and integrated linear lighting define a calm and cohesive environment. Lounge areas feature upholstered seating in blue and orange, reflecting the school’s visual identity, while long planters bring natural greenery into the reading experience.

Glass-enclosed collaborative rooms ensure transparency without compromising acoustic comfort. Circulation and zoning are intuitive, offering a smooth experience for users of all ages.

A central symbolic feature of the space is the La Valla table, a reference to the origins of the Marist educational mission and the community gatherings encouraged by Saint Marcellin Champagnat. More than a visual element, the table embodies the values of belonging, dialogue, and collective learning that define the school identity.

The renewed library, called Luminar, stands as a model for contemporary educational interiors, offering a hybrid environment that combines study, collaboration, and community life; balanced dialogue between tradition and contemporary design; high adaptability for a large and diverse school community; and a physical representation of Marist values.

Luminar Library is a space that educates not only through its collection, but through its atmosphere.

Design: Finestra Arquitetura
Visual Identity and Wayfiding: Brandesign Studio
Construction: Tribase
Photography: Marcelo Nakano