Lobby Armchair by Jorge Zalszupin, L atelier, MidCentury, Brazil, 1959

Just as emigrant Europeans — from Kem Weber and Paul Frankl to Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe — helped establish modernist design and architecture in the United States, so too did many of their peers foster the new design aesthetic in Brazil in the middle decades of the 20th century. Along with architect Lina Bo Bardi (from Italy) and Joaquim Tenreiro (from Portugal) — both of whom helped popularize Brazilian modern design and influenced today's generation of Brazilian designers — there was Jorge Zalszupin, who arrived from Poland in 1949 and created consistently sleek and elegant chairs, tables and case pieces using the South American country’s vibrantly grained tropical hardwoods.

Zalszupin was born in Warsaw (his given first name is Jerzy) and went on to study architecture at the École des Beaux Arts in Bucharest, Romania, graduating in 1945. Zalszupin moved to Paris but found few opportunities in the postwar City of Light. He was impressed by articles on the work of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer that he saw in the André Bloc–edited magazine L’Architecture d’Aujourd’hui (Architecture Today). And after sailing to South America, Zalszupin went to work with his fellow Pole and architect Luciano Korngold in São Paulo. Zalszupin began designing furniture as part of his architectural commissions and created several pieces for Niemeyer for use in the new capital city, Brasília. He opened his own design and manufacturing firm, L’Atelier, in 1959.

While Zalszupin cannot be said to have had a signature style, his furniture designs all share a characteristic simplicity and purity of line and form. His work is often compared to that of Danish designers, most especially in their shared commitment to quality construction. He was a master of many materials: travertine marble for tabletops, slung leather for seating, man-made fabrics for upholstery and — his forte — highly figured woods such as jacaranda and rosewood. The latter plays prominently in two of Zalszupin’s best-known lounge chairs: the Brasiliana, with its austere, angular wood frame, and the Presidencial, with its curved seating shell and slatted backrest. Both chairs feature deep cushions and generous proportions in deference to the Brazilian proclivity for long and languid conversations. Yet both pieces — like all Zalszupin designs — possess a striking, tailored grace that would be perfect in any environment.

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L'Atelier San Paulo — one of the few South American furniture manufacturers established in the mid-20th century — marries the highest quality materials with the simplicity of form. With the minimalist aesthetic of mid-century modern shapes and the sleekness of modern lines, its furniture has a whisper of sensuality with an element of tension that has seduced devotees over decades. Combining fine materials is the essence of its practices, such as cleverly pairing premium woods with an elegant marble or sensuous leather and gleaming chrome. 

Founded by Jorge Zalszupin, a renowned architect and furniture designer, l'Atelier San Paulo designs commercial and residential pieces out of São Paulo, Brazil. Zalszupin was born Jerzy Zalszupin into a Jewish family in 1922 in Poland. He fled to Romania in 1940 to escape the Nazi occupation. He graduated from Bucharest’s École des Beaux-Arts architecture program in 1944 and emigrated to Brazil in 1949, leaving behind war-scarred Europe. After having a successful architecture firm for close to a decade, he pursued his passion for furniture design by opening l'Atelier San Paulo in 1959.

With Zalszupin at the helm, the company’s pieces were often inspired by the works of Oscar Niemeyer, Le Corbusier and Lucio Costa. A focus on local tropical hardwoods, such as jacaranda, imbuia and rosewood for coffee tables, dining chairs and bar carts, celebrates the diversity of Brazil’s forests. By utilizing Argentina’s famous carpincho leather and bright metals such as brass, chrome and stainless steel in its lounge chairs, sofas and serveware, the company’s work adds sophistication and eclectic style to any space.

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