MyDecor

Born in 1927, in Rio de Janeiro, he graduated as an architect in 1952 and went out in a "frantic search," as he himself put it, for a type of design that could represent the spirit "of our people." In architecture, his designs were made in order for "life to happen in there." Sergio broke away from paradigms to invent his own language in search of the Brazilian identity and harmoniously integrated the three areas in which he militated: architecture, design, and drawing.

His creations came at a time when Brazil was investing in a new federal capital, and the Brazilian people were breathing an atmosphere of invention and of Brazilianness in fine arts, music - with Bossa Nova - and architecture, with the construction of Brasília. Sergio sensed that modern Brazilian architecture lacked contemporary furniture to keep up with this. Sergio's creations, aimed to make modern, comfortable furniture suited for the Brazilian tropical climate, making great use of wood and leather, soon led him to the new capital: His furniture was ordered in large scale and taken to Brasília.

An expert designer, a talent inherited from his father Roberto Rodrigues, Sergio collected not only drawings of his projects, but also humorous illustrations of his furniture, of everyday scenes and of himself. The words of the designer Fernando Mendes de Almeida about his teacher, friend and cousin, highlight the importance of the creator: "Sergio Rodrigues' dimensions as an artist and public figure become eternal and blend in with our life history and with the history of the nation itself. Few Brazilian artists defended our culture, our way of life, and the way we are for so long and with such determination. Few designers had such a long productive life."