São Paulo Collection by Studio Swine

Designers Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves, founders of London and São Paulo based Studio Swine, have created a collection of lighting and furniture inspired by the tropical modernism movement of the 1950′s in Brazil. Scouring the city for waste materials, the duo transformed what they found in Brazil’s largest city São Paulo, known as the ‘aluminium capital’, into a luxury collection of design furniture and lighting pieces.

The material’s potential has been explored through sand casting with the naturalistic details captured in the cactus coffee table, and the contemporary abstracted palm pattern in the lounge chair. The series of pendant, floor and table lamps are lighting pieces made from recycled Heineken bottles that have been heated and re-blown into an eclectic collection of organic forms. The bulbs are also fitted with customised brass fittings and LEDs.

‘São Paulo Collection’ was developed over a four-month residency that was produced for Coletivo Amor de Madre Gallery and sponsored by Heineken.

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The collection of furniture pieces from the São Paulo Collection by Studio Swine are produced using scrap material collected in the bustling city of São Paulo.

The sculptural cactus tree ‘Standing Light’ was made by hand using pine off cuts to form the 16 snaking branches. The bottle bulbs are made from old glass bottles that were reheated and handblown into organic shapes that are similar to tropical fruits.

Standing Light is made from pine offcuts, bottle bulbs and fabric cable. Dimensions of H 150cm W 70cm D 70cm.

Bottle Cluster is made from handblown bottles, brass, LED and fabric cable. Dimensions of H 60cm W 40cm D 40cm.

Bottle Bulb is made from handblown bottle, brass, LED and fabric cable. Dimensions of H 20cm W 10cm D 10cm (average).

Shelf light of 5 is made from brass, bottle bulbs and fabric cable. Dimensions of H 10cm W 60cm D 10cm Hardwood.

Shelf light of 3 is made from hardwood, brass, clear bottle bulbs and fabric cable. Dimensions of H 10cm W 35cm D 10cm.

The Cactus Coffee Table is made by sand casting cacti from the city’s grand flower market. Each of the legs is made with a different type of cacti that displays unique and natural details.