Selected Projects by Emerging Brazilian Product Design Studio RAIN.

São Paulo-based Estúdio RAIN, formed by Ricardo Innecco and Mariana Ramos, an architect and a product designer, respectively, has been on our radar big time of late, and for a good reason. Their work rocks.

The pair was born in Brasilia where they also studied, a city known for its modernist architecture and urbanism, which now heavily influences their creative output. In 2012, Ricardo and Mariana moved to São Paulo, where they worked in several architecture and design studios, eventually leading them to establish their own practice in 2015.

RAIN is an independent design studio, with the main activity focused on the development of furniture, lighting and objects. The duo produces and commercializes their own pieces, working with Brazilian and international design stores and galleries. They also work in collaboration with other brands and in the development of limited editions and installations.

We are particularly drawn to RAIN’s strong graphic and sculptural aesthetic. Here we round up some of our favourites from their portfolio.

Alta floor lamp creates upward diffused illumination via a sculptural shape composed of two conical blocks of ebonized solid timber. The design seeks inspiration in the monumentality of the Brazilian Modernist period. Photography by Alex Batista.

Curved Benches explore the flexibility of timber and its ability to assimilate the curves of the body. Alluding to a fundamental building system, the benches form a trilithic structure, where two vertical plates perform the base and a horizontal curved one becomes the seat. The elements suggest a subtle balance in which the parts seem to just touch each other. Photography by Alex Batista.

ORBE lamps cast an indirect light that provides soft illumination. Its name alludes to the object aesthetics in conjunction with the geometric design highlighted with metallic finishes and matte colours. Photography by Alex Batista.

Bao Tables are made of asymmetrically supported solid timber planks with soft rounded edges. The design of the collection enables interaction among the tables, where the pierced planes fit together creating cross encounters. Variation in size and heights create overlapping plateaus, allowing multiple compositions. Photography by Alex Batista.

Arco is an upholstered armchair with simple, enveloping geometry. The shape of the piece reproduces the arch of the body, creating a welcoming anatomical shell. Photography by Alex Batista.

Arco Lamps seem to penetrate the surfaces they touch, illuminating them delicately. The light focus frames the silhouette of the pieces, highlighting the shiny material. Photography by Studio Trad – Giu Ramaglia.

The Ferrão Lamps have a metallic body with sharp ends, reminiscent of a sting. The spike-shaped ends give the pieces with tension, but also serenity, as they develop into a line that eventually disappears in the space. The aim was to create a design that does not strive for attention, yet draws the eye for its delicacy. Photography by Studio Trad – Giu Ramaglia.

Bubbles is the result of RAIN’s continual experimentation with plaster and resin. The attempt to control the shape of the plaster in its liquid state for the creation of rigid moulds guided the experiments. Bubbles suggest a viscous state and create a sense of movement, raising doubt about their consistency. The collection of three objects are shaped in plaster by the designers themselves and then cast in coloured and sandblasted resin. Photography by Studio Trad – Giu Ramaglia.

[Images courtesy of Estúdio RAIN. Photography credits as noted.]