Jorge Zalszupin: a master of Brazilian Modern design

Bending the laminate wood

The molded laminated rosewood allowed the designer to execute the longed-for curves without necessarily implying adopting long and expensive manual processes. The results of molding laminates with heat inspired many of his creations and ended up becoming one of the differentials of his work in relation to the work of his contemporaries.

The Rosewood patchwork

Zalszupin also used creative alternatives to circumvent production problems, such as high costs or material shortages. The most notable of these was the marquetry finish, a process that became known as “taqueamento.” It consists of gluing various pieces of rosewood veneers of varying textures and shades on a furniture surface. This solution was widely used by him and ended up becoming one of the marks of his work.

With the use of marquetry finishing, he was able to solve several problems: it reduced the waste of material; it facilitated the process of covering large surfaces, as in table tops - since finding large rosewood trunks was already a challenge; it smoothed the variations in shades of the veneers that covered different modules of the same piece of furniture; and, finally, it made the production costs cheaper.

Assemble it as you want

Zalszupin developed a line of modular furniture – one of its most successful lines. This strategy was also adopted by several of his contemporaries, such as Michel Arnoult and Geraldo de Barros. The "modulated units" consisted of several element options. Clients could choose how to assemble it to create the final furniture piece according to their taste: the number of drawers, doors, and shelves, or opt for specific compartments, such as units for radio speakers.

From home to office

To continue investing in technologies, it was necessary to guarantee a number of sales and a production flow. L'Atelier's growth was intensified by expanding the product portfolio with the introduction of office furniture. The sales volume of this type of furniture was higher and the market was more consistent and less subject to fads. In addition it did not require exclusive designs. However, in order not to be limited to just one type of market, Zalszupin tried to create hybrid pieces that would serve both the corporate and domestic environment.

Bold shapes from office to home

Zalszupin also developed super comfortable furniture pieces that fits to the body and bring coziness, while plays with improbable shapes and different materials. Even when following references of Scandinavian design or Organic Design, Zalszupin created a unique work, reflecting his constant search for experimentation and transformation. His upholstered designs are great examples of the boldness of these creations.