Palacete Tirachapéu wins national design award for cultural restoration

Palacete Tirachapéu, a historic landmark in Salvador, has won first place in the Best Project for Culture category at the Robb Report Design Awards 2026. The award, presented in São Paulo, recognizes the successful restoration and requalification of the early 20th-century building.

The restoration project was conducted by Elysium Sociedade Cultural. The intervention included the complete recovery of internal environments, facades, and the roof, while adapting the infrastructure to serve as a cultural and gastronomic center. The project also incorporated accessibility improvements while preserving the architectural features of the landmark, which is protected by the Institute of Artistic and Cultural Heritage of Bahia (Ipac).

Now located on Rua Chile, the complex hosts restaurants, shops, art galleries, and event spaces. Wolney Unes, director of Elysium Sociedade Cultural, stated that the recognition shows that “preserving historical heritage is also building the future.” Architect Marcelo Sáfadi noted that the project's success demonstrates the space's cultural vocation, turning the monument into a living hub for artistic and social exchange.