I worked as the curator of the visual panels that shaped the façade of Vila Butantan, an open-air center built from recycled shipping containers and green rooftop projects. Inspired by international models such as Box Park (London) and Restart (New Zealand), the project aimed to go beyond traditional retail: humanizing commerce by combining gastronomy, culture, leisure, and lifestyle (Exame).
During the presentation of the project to the directors, I received an unexpected request: to create one of the murals myself. Surprised yet honored, I accepted. With the guidance of friends who were already experienced muralists, I learned the techniques of graffiti and created my very first large-scale mural: a woman in profile, her hair flowing with the wind that constantly passed through the open architecture, her eyes closed in a quiet gesture of pause.
Painted in black and white with subtle pink details, she was the first of my Sonhadoras to appear on a wall: an invitation for anyone passing by to stop, close their eyes, and feel the moment.
Vila Butantan quickly became known as an “anti-shopping.” Within just eight months of opening, it hosted more than 60 operations between stores and food trucks, attracted an average of 50,000 monthly visitors, and reached a ticket average of R$30–50 (about US$10–15 at the time). With growing acceptance, its goal was to double that foot traffic by the end of the year (Exame).
My contribution became part of a larger narrative — a transformative space that redefined commerce as cultural and communal experience. Vila Butantan was more than an open-air mall: it was a living experiment in how art, design, and daily life could intertwine.
This project marked the beginning of my journey into large-scale mural painting and revealed how art can reshape urban spaces, turning them into cultural landmarks and spaces of belonging. It all began in 2017.
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