During the survey process that preceded the start of the project for a duplex penthouse in a building near Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo, the team encountered paintings by Alfredo Volpi along with a collection of Brazilian modern furniture: armchairs and chairs by Sergio Rodrigues were part of the collection of the couple, passionate about Brazilian design.

The commission involved interior design for the apartment's common areas on the upper floor—living room, dining area, and balcony with a pool, from which one can see the green canopy of Ibirapuera park’s trees, as well as the iconic buildings designed by Oscar Niemeyer—and cabinetry for the master suite on the lower floor, which houses the apartment’s private quarters.

Using modern furniture as a central theme, the project was crafted to frame the couple’s collection pieces without competing with the furniture design. The Tete armchairs and Oscar chairs were restored and given a prominent place in the rooms. To complement them, another leading name in Brazilian design, Jorge Zalszupin, was specified. While Rodrigues’ pieces invite the user to relax into their cozy comfort, Zalszupin’s work emphasizes rigorous geometric composition. His Poltronas Dinamarquesas, the Pétala table, the Onda bench and the Cubo sofa, which organize the apartment’s main living area, are testaments to this technical precision.

The combination of these two legendary designers creates a surprising, familiar, and elegant compositional complement; sophisticated yet relaxed. Bathed in abundant natural light that warms the penthouse, the additional architectural interventions specified in the project gracefully defer to these two masters, supporting them with streamlined simplicity and subtle materials.