March—The southern Brazilian city of Bento Gonçalves hosted Movelsul, the biggest furniture exhibition in Latin America, parallel to which the exhibition Prêmio Salão Design took place. ArchiExpo e-Magazine spoke to three of the top designers:
Wood with a Pinkish Tone
Designers Mariana Betting Ferrarezi and Roberto Hercowitz, founders of emDoïsdesign studio, located in Rio de Janeiro, presented their Nena dressing table made of solid jequitibá wood and MDF. Ferrarezi Explains:
“The jequitibá wood has a certain pinkish tone that matches the more feminine quality we wanted.”
Nena dressing table by designers Mariana Betting Ferrarezi and Roberto Hercowitz. Courtesy of emDoïsdesign studio.
Mixing Materials for Elegance
The industrial designer Zanini de Zanine created this collection inspired by furniture designed in the 1950’s by his father, the self-taught architect and furniture maker José Zanine Caldas.
The Zina Collection consists of two different chairs, an armchair, a high bench, a coffee and a dinner table. Contrasting materials are used, such as carbon steel, linen and solid wood. Studio Zanini designer Anderson Alves says:
“We have worked with these materials before, but never all together. The biggest challenge was joining these different elements together so that the final results would look aesthetically good and have the desired ergonomics.”
Zina armchair and pouf. Courtesy of Zanini de Zanine.
Breaking Standards
Studio Menini Nicola, founded by the Uruguayan industrial designers Agustín Menini and Carlo Nicola, worked with Brazilian product designer Bernardo Senna to develop the Varanda Collection—featured image—with the idea of balconies (“varandas” in Portuguese) as a green extension of the home where a proper garden is not possible. Nicola explains:
“Our intention is that the plants get to inhabit the items, with freedom to grow. We also designed hooks in which one can hang accessories like garden tools or hanging plant pots. Made of iron and weather resistant paint, the collection has an attractive retail price.”
