Craft as Language – Design Miami 2025: Bossa Furniture

When Tenreiro opened his first showroom in 1947 on Rua Barata Ribeiro in Copacabana, newspapers referred to it as Galeria Tenreiro — not a store, but a space dedicated to culture and art. Alongside his own works, he exhibited pieces by Bruno Giorgi, Burle Marx, Ivan Serpa, and Alfredo Volpi, establishing one of Rio’s first hubs for modern art and design. Instead of displaying furniture as isolated objects, he composed complete domestic settings that proposed a new way of living.

A second showroom followed in 1953 in São Paulo, later relocating to the modernist Conjunto Nacional. These spaces embodied his philosophy: immersive environments where art, architecture, and life converged. Many clients commissioned him to design entire interiors — harmonious compositions that balanced clarity, warmth, and proportion. His rooms often united his furniture with paintings by Tarsila do Amaral or Di Cavalcanti, handcrafted ceramics, and Afro-Brazilian jewelry, expressing modernism not as a style but as a way of life.

DINING CHAIRS WITH STICKS BACKS, 1948

This set of eight exquisitely crafted Cane Chairs in Amendoim Wood, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in the 1960s, is a gorgeous example of his mastery of technical and constructive solutions and an aesthetic experience based on craftsmanship and comfort. Its delicate shapes present the backs of thin sticks and turned components. Tenreiro created a new formal language through lessons from Portuguese traditions and was responsible for bringing plaited cane back when nobody used it. Going against the overstuffed pieces that dominated the market then, Tenreiro considered them incompatible with a tropical country like Brazil. So instead, he formally promoted light furniture – structurally and
visually.

CURVED CHAIR WITH STICK BACK, 1961-62

This exquisitely crafted Rosewood Curved Chair With Stick Back, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992), evokes a refined coexistence of traditional values and modern aesthetics. Its delicate shapes present backs of thin sticks and carved, pointed feet – like those of a ballerina – that give the impression that the piece floats in the space. Tenreiro came to see the often heavy, overstuffed pieces that dominated the market as incompatible with a tropical country like Brazil. So instead,
he promoted formally light furniture, as described in his own words: “Lightness, which has nothing to do with the weight per se, but with grace and functionality in space.”

MORFA COLLECTION

Conceived in 2019, the Morfa Collection marks the beginning of Lucas Recchia’s material research and his ongoing exploration of transformation through heat, weight, and time. Initially developed through glass pieces shaped in high-temperature molds, the collection has since expanded to include works in bronze, aluminum, and new glass variations. Despite the evolution in materials, Morfa remains defined by the tension between essential geometries and complex processes. As the collection unfolded—moving from tables to benches, vessels, and small objects—its vocabulary
of repetition, scale shifts, and elemental forms became a core of Recchia’s design language: a body of work that is constantly open to mutation.

MORFA N°01, 2019-2025

The glass iterations of Morfa No. 01—in green, red, and amber—trace the origins of the collection. These early experiments investigate the behavior of molten glass, where thickness, color, and transparency interact to create shifting optical depth. Subtle irregularities remain visible from the hand-molding process, giving each piece a unique spatial quality. The 2025 
versions introduce a richer chromatic vocabulary, reinforcing the expressive potential of colored glass within the Morfa collection.

MIRROR, 2023

This mirror pairs a fused-glass surface with a bronze base composed from the modular rings that define the Material Distortion system. The cutouts and cast volumes create layered reflections, making the mirror function sculpturally as
much as visually. The contrast between the fluidity of glass and the solidity of bronze heightens the object’s spatial presence, turning a functional typology into a study of form and perception.

CENTERPIECE, 2025

In this darker iteration, the deep blue fused glass intensifies the contrast against the bronze framework, producing a rich chromatic depth. Light catches within the fused layers, evoking mineral formations or geological strata. The piece exemplifies Recchia’s ability to manipulate glass volume, color, and density to create expressive sculptural objects.

RECORDO CENTERPIECE, 2024

Composed of 24 cast-bronze apples assembled into a circular formation, the Recordo Centerpiece examines repetition, memory, and transformation. Each apple originates from a hand-sculpted wax model, producing subtle variations across the group. Together they form a sculptural volume with a functional interior cavity. The apple motif, recurring in Recchia’s work, becomes here a macro-element—domestic, intimate, and monumental at once.

MARCA VASE, 2024

The Marca Vase emerges from Recchia’s ongoing study of finishing as an expressive act. Here, the bronze surface is altered through folds, perforations, and impressions made while the metal is still hot. These marks are intentionally preserved, turning the finishing phase into the central generative gesture. Rather than conceal process, the piece foregrounds it—each surface
recording the physical interaction between maker and material.

ECHE COLLECTION

The Eche Collection is Lucas Recchia’s first series of seating, first presented in his solo show Elemental Echoes in 2024. The collection includes three models: armchair, chaise lounge, and sofa. Cast bronze bases support the seats, balancing visual lightness with material solidity. Each piece explores the interaction of form, material, and space, transforming seating into sculptural, tactile objects crafted to endure.

ECHE ARMCHAIR, 2024

First unveiled in Elemental Echoes (2024), the Eche Collection marks Recchia’s entry into upholstered seating. The armchair is anchored by a cast-bronze base that supports the seat as if it were suspended, creating a deliberate contrast between structural force and visual levity. Upholstered in heavy mohair with bouclé for the backrest, the piece emphasizes texture
and material duality. The Eche proposes seating as an architectural gesture: upright, intentional, and sculptural.

TRIPEDE TABLE, 2021

The Tripede side table was designed by Lucas Recchia in 2021. Carrying an enchanting charm with its polished and patinated bronze composition adorned in a red patina. Embracing a contemporary and bold aesthetic, the Tripede side table seamlessly blends millennial techniques with bold design elements. Drawing inspiration from the essence of bronze as a material, the table’s shapes emerge through a fusion of manual and digital modeling. This versatile piece effortlessly complements various spaces, including living areas and bedrooms.

ARCO SIDE TABLE, 2023

Defined by arched bronze legs, the Arco Side Table explores stability through curvature. Available in polished bronze or black patina with a gold interior, the two versions highlight the range of expression possible within a consistent structural vocabulary.

SESC POMPEIA STOOL, 1979-80

This iconic stool was designed by Lina Bo Bardi (1914-1992) and made especially for Sesc Pompeia, a cultural center in São Paulo, Brazil. It consists of structures that resemble crates made of pine wood. Lina’s attempt to make furniture of good design accessible to many people didn’t work as expected. Thus, from the middle 1950s, Lina focused on developing pieces
with simple techniques and materials linked to her architectural projects.

Designed by Lina Bo Bardi, Sesc Pompeia was elected in 2021 as one of the 25 most important post-war architectural works by The New York Times. The building works with a theater, exhibition space, auditorium, and open spaces that give breathing room in an agitated metropolis. The stools were part of the living areas, such as the dining hall and the library. A similar version is also used for the theater seats.

The Sesc Pompeia project was created to revitalize an old abandoned factory built in 1938. The warehouses were restored from 1977 to 1982, and the sports block was inaugurated in 1986. The wear on this stool was intentionally kept to showcase its special history, whilst still being in very good vintage condition due to its strong quality material.