Interview with Lattoog

Leonardo Lattavo, one of the partners, graduated in architecture in Rio de Janeiro and did his master's degree in England, and Pedro Moog is self-taught. At that time, they didn't see any possibility in Rio de Janeiro of doing a good job as an architect. So, being very detail-oriented and passionate about art, they got together to design what would become Lattoog's first piece, the Knot Armchair, 25 years ago. They started out as a hobby, but as it was very successful among friends, it was a stimulus for them to start making other pieces.

Our priorities when designing are closely linked to valuing Brazilianness and wood as an inexhaustible source of inspiration and creative expression, and always seeking something that is unique. As far as techniques are concerned, we are constantly looking to try new things in manufacturing and materiality. And in terms of style, we don't see it as a visual aesthetic, but rather as a way of thinking, a design mentality that aims to express Brazilianness.

Firstly, when designing, when we have a very different idea, the feeling is one of happiness. And when the project is ready, it's like a child being born, a sense of relief, a feeling of accomplishment. Which is the opposite of when a project doesn't come to fruition, which generates anguish, not seeing it come to fruition, but a project can take months or years to come to fruition.

During Lattoog's 20 years, we have created many strong partnerships with factories, and this good relationship has been very important for us to be where we are today. And we want to continue along the path we are on, but increasingly working on more socio-environmental projects and exploring beyond furniture, such as working more with electronics and other products that broaden our range of understanding.

Always look for something that makes the project very specific, that isn't a repetition of patterns and uses that have already been made. And that something specific could be in the use, it could be in the materiality, it could be in the shapes, you name it. It's hard to say what that something specific would be, but without having that particularity, it's harder to stand out in the market.

We think it's being your biggest critic. You have to have more periods of dissatisfaction than satisfaction when you're drawing. If you're too satisfied, too easily, or if you ignore small dissatisfaction in your drawing, you could be missing out on an opportunity. So we're really always trying to remove any discomfort that the product might have, until we get to the result. So you can go through many stages of study, dozens, or even hundreds.

Leonardo Lattavo divides his time between Lattoog and the university where he teaches. In the studio, much of his time is spent with the team developing projects, usually furniture, which can be on client demand or future projects. Moog and Lattavo also dedicate themselves to running the studio, giving lectures and visiting factories. In addition, Moog focuses on managing our stores.

We try to keep up to date with the latest developments in the design market. In a way, isolation helps us to follow our own path, without looking too far afield for inspiration. But recently, twice we realized, during the prototyping phase, that the product was similar to one that was already on the market. So we started to see the importance of research, not to get a reference, but to avoid doing something that is already being done. So research is much more about ruling out alternatives than gathering information.

A well designed product is one that manages to captivate, that has a solid cultural narrative, rational production techniques and aesthetic appeal. When a project embraces all these characteristics, it stands out and is truly successful.

A design project is never finished. The end of a project is defined by time, when it's over and you have to deliver. Because refinement can be constant. So a finished design is the freezing of time in a process, which ends precisely because of the deadline. Otherwise, development would continue. There are even several products that have been on the market for many years, and we've had the chance to review them later and refine something. So, to this day, there isn't a product we've made that we couldn't improve.

In 2016 we held a workshop with students from a school in Rio de Janeiro to make a giant version of our Pantosh armchair. So it was a very didactic job of teaching carpentry and design concepts. And, in the end, it became a large armchair that went to exhibitions in Brazil and around the world. This was a project that always delighted people and made us meet a lot of important people along the way.

There are many excellent designers, each of whom has inspired us in their own way. In Brazil, Sérgio Rodrigues was someone who managed to translate the spirit of a country with his furniture, and that enchants us. But there are other fantastic designers, like Philippe Starck, for example, not just for what he creates, but for how he presents his products. These are two designers we really admire.

We're from Rio de Janeiro, and we love Rio de Janeiro. We even joke that being a designer in Rio de Janeiro is easier because the city is so beautiful, with so many natural and architectural icons. So it's a place that inspires a lot. We have several pieces of furniture named after parts of the city: neighborhoods, mountains, beaches... So, right from the start, we set out to bring a design that translated the city of Rio de Janeiro. It was a very clear objective, and we're known for it too. So it's a spontaneous attitude, but also a planned one.

After many years of work, we realized that our operations were predominantly geared towards meeting the demands of large Brazilian factories. Gradually, we saw our design making significant changes to our partner factories. We then recognized the transformative power of design and how it influences not only aesthetics, but also the economy and the community where it is applied. We then decided to seek partnerships with local communities and small producers, seeking to promote socio-environmental development through design. Today we work with communities in the Amazon, indigenous people in Bahia and the Xingu, as well as cooperatives that use leftover prunings and branches for production. We recognize the challenges of this work, especially in remote regions where design culture as we know it is limited. A symbolic project for us was the Seixos series, which is like decorative wooden stones of various sizes, in partnership with a sustainable management cooperative in the Amazon. The project came about as an alternative use for this cooperative's leftover materials, which enabled us to work with solid, legalized hardwood pieces. And this project has evolved to include other communities and materials, reflecting Brazil's cultural diversity. In addition to the wooden pebbles, ceramic pebbles have been incorporated into the project, made by the indigenous people of the Xingu by burning them at the stake. And then there are the metal pebbles, a partnership with a company that dismantles electronic products and uses the extracted metal. So this project has been growing and is constantly expanding.

In addition to the recognition of having been one of the winners of the A' Design Award, the questions raised in the entry forms and the feedback put us in a position to reflect on Lattoog and the Luar Armchair. We were instigated to evolve our thinking and arguments about the product, so it enriched the product.

We generally design all kinds of furniture, from residential to corporate, in wood, upholstery, glass and metal. But we'd like to design more urban and electronic furniture.

Always look for something that makes the project very specific, that isn't a repetition of patterns and uses that have already been made. And that something specific could be in the use, it could be in the materiality, it could be in the shapes, you name it. It's hard to say what that something specific would be, but without having that particularity, it's harder to stand out in the market.

I believe that a good designer reaches a point in the development of the product where they feel satisfied, as if they have reached the end of the project. On the other hand, a great designer isn't content to stop there; they constantly look for ways to improve the product. This involves a continuous process of refinement, in which the designer challenges their own vision and seeks excellence in detail. The development of a product is a long journey, in which many designers tend to stagnate at what I consider the halfway point, thinking that they have already reached the apex. However, for great designers, this is a never-ending process of refinement that aims to go further.

A really good design is one that manages to captivate, that has a solid cultural narrative, rational production techniques and aesthetic appeal. When a project embraces all these characteristics, it stands out and is truly successful.

We want to collaborate on projects that involve larger teams of designers and that are multidisciplinary, thinking about comprehensive solutions to global issues such as the well-being of the planet, people, animals and the environment. We currently participate in very few projects with this broader approach.

We deeply admire the work of Achille Castiglioni, whose ideas brought new perspectives to the field of design. Le Corbusier, due to our background in architecture, also had a significant influence. Oscar Niemeyer has always been a source of inspiration, especially for his courage to draw curves and express himself. Marcel Breuer, a forerunner in the use of metal and furniture technologies. More recently, Marcel Wanders of Moooi. And Philippe Starck, not only for what he creates, but also for the way he presents his products.

Brazil was going through a time when it needed more people thinking about design. Because Leonardo Lattavo had lived in Europe for 10 years and studied the subject for two decades, he already had a considerable background when he returned to Brazil. And when he arrived here, he noticed a significant lack of this type of thinking in the country. Coming out of a turbulent post-military dictatorship period, Brazil was emerging from a state of cultural lethargy. It was in this context that a resurgence took place, and we had the opportunity to contribute to what is now known as contemporary Brazilian design.

When we present our work to a client or when faced with a request, we often try to captivate with seductive images that express the project well. However, I realize that this is common practice for many, and we try to do it uniquely, in our own way. However, designers are currently facing the challenge of using new technologies to present their projects in even more engaging ways. This includes the use of finely edited videos, digital models and animations, and even physical models. I believe there is a growing expectation regarding the presentation of work, and many of us are used to presenting in a static way. We would like to explore less conventional methods of presentation, and I believe younger designers should consider this approach too.

We are currently involved in creating pieces that range from advanced technologies to simpler, more traditional materials. For example, we are experimenting with pottery production with an indigenous tribe in a remote region. And something interesting could emerge from trying to combine these two different aspects...

Foremost, it's gratifying to be able to support ourselves through design, although this has never been our main goal, it's more of a consequence. At the end of our career, we would like to look back and realize that we have contributed in some way and brought something meaningful to people's lives. Our focus has always been to meet demands in the best possible way, applying our design expertise to create relevant and impactful products. However, if we're talking about dreams and ultimate goals, we'd love to develop something that has a positive impact on the environment or on people's consciences.

We would like design in Brazil to be recognized as an element of cultural value, to the point of providing tax incentives for companies that invest in it. In addition, we envision a scenario where design has a more significant influence on the urban planning of our cities, becoming less about individual objects and more about the urban configuration as a whole. It would be great if there were more education about design in schools, so that people understood this field better.

We see many designers investigating new raw materials, young people, with this research linked to making and materiality. Always looking for solutions that are more sustainable and fairer to the planet. So we think that the future of design is much more linked to rethinking materiality and raw materials, rather than a purely formal aspect.

It's a relationship of constant exchange, an ongoing conversation. Designers act as agents who identify issues in life, absorb them and process them. It's a cycle in which one process feeds the other, resulting in a continuous flow of ideas and reflections.

When we consider the design profession, it is inevitable to note the constant interaction with knowledge, technology and machinery. It is therefore essential to keep these aspects in mind when working. Personally, we would like to explore even more technologies than the ones I currently use. Although technology already plays a significant role, I feel it could be even more integrated into the process. The design process is predominantly technological: we start with analog drawings, but soon move into the field of technology.
It's funny how we sometimes forget how technological our process is. We are so immersed in everyday technology that we sometimes lose perspective. When we look around, we realize that there are countless other technologies besides the ones we're familiar with. This makes us question where we are on this technological spectrum. It's difficult to determine whether we are too technological or not. However, it is undeniable that the presence of technology is practically omnipresent these days. It is a reality that is inseparable from our profession.

We tend to place great value on the natural colors of the materials in our projects, such as wood, glass, metals and stones. This is a defining characteristic of our work. Additional colors are usually introduced more sporadically. Often, this is in response to client preferences, such as when they choose a fabric that complements the tone of the wood or opt for a specific paint. In this sense, the color palette is very flexible. We even like it when our clients, including architects who buy our products, participate in the color selection process. In general, we're not very strict about it.

We prefer to look for inspiration in cookbooks or novels to create new products, rather than in design books. When you translate ideas from a different field into your own medium, that's when you find a path to originality. One book in particular that influenced us a lot was the series of magazines by the English group Archigram, of which Leonardo Lattavo was a teacher during his master's degree. These magazines, published in the 1960s, opened our minds to a new perspective on architecture. They presented the idea that architecture could be anything, and this has had a huge impact on our work to this day.

I remember one product in particular, a light fixture, which was a lot of work for us. We spent weeks trying to design it, but we just couldn't get it right. Then, in a moment of frustration, I decided to cut it in half and, by turning it upside down, I turned it into a fruit bowl. Surprisingly, this fruit bowl became a commercial success and is still sold today, more than ten years later. It was a clear example of how important it is to be open to mistakes and possibilities. Making mistakes is part of the process and often opens doors to new solutions. Sometimes we are so focused on one direction that we don't see other viable alternatives. It's as if we were adjusting our radar, keeping ourselves receptive to the opportunities that arise along the way.

A Lattoog existe há 20 anos e temos feito parte do desenvolvimento do design contemporâneo no país, na linguagem, e principalmente usando a madeira. Somos do Rio de Janeiro, prestamos serviços de design para fabricantes do Brasil, principalmente na área de móveis, objetos, luminárias; e temos ajudado muitas empresas do ramo dos móveis a se reposicionar no mercado e a conquistar seu público, através da contratação de um bom design para os seus produtos. Lattoog has existed for 20 years, and we have been part of the development of contemporary design in the country, in language, and especially using wood. We're from Rio de Janeiro, and we provide design services for manufacturers throughout Brazil, mainly in the area of furniture, objects and lighting; and we've helped many companies in the furniture industry to reposition themselves in the market and win over their public by hiring good design for their products.

Design is thinking. It's all the thinking that goes into conceiving, designing and inventing objects and artifacts that we use on a daily basis. So that's design. Design for us is the process of thinking about these projects.

We generally like to design wooden furniture and armchairs.

The Pantosh armchair was the first piece we designed for a factory - we already had some pieces designed that we manufactured ourselves. We designed the Pantosh in 2008, at the time when two-axis CNCs were being introduced in Brazil, so it was a great response at the time to the use of this technology. And it made this factory very well known in Brazil, gaining a good share of the market. To this day, it's a piece that sells well and has a lot of recognition, even more than 15 years after its launch. From Pantosh, a very solid partnership was created with this company, Schuster Móveis, which is also the manufacturer of the Luar Armchair, which won this year's A' Design Awards.

You can't fail to mention wood. It is an inexhaustible source of inspiration and a privileged medium for creative expression, a living symbol that embraces Brazilian history and culture, and the principles of sustainability.

Creativity comes when you're with your team, drawing, designing and solving something. Another moment is when you're alone, without any tasks, usually at night when you can think calmly, but it can also be in the morning when you're alone. There's also when you're in the factory, seeing the machines working, the materials and ideas popping up. So there are a number of situations that are conducive to this.

Creativity comes when you're with your team, drawing, designing and solving something. Another moment is when you're alone, without any tasks, usually at night when you can think calmly, but it can also be in the morning when you're alone. There's also when you're in the factory, seeing the machines working, the materials and ideas popping up. So there are a number of situations that are conducive to this.

When designing, when we have a very different idea, the feeling is one of happiness.

When the project is finished, it's like a child being born, a relief, a sense of accomplishment.

It's hard to say, because there are projects that are highly praised, win awards, and other projects sell more, but don't get as much media attention. So each project proves successful in different ways. Now, the most successful project is when it really manages to arouse an enchantment: it has a well-founded cultural narrative, it has a very rational production, it looks very beautiful. And it sells well. When it encompasses all these issues in the same project, it really is successful.

We see many designers investigating new raw materials, young people, with this research linked to making and materiality. Always looking for solutions that are more sustainable and fairer to the planet. So we think that the future of design is much more linked to rethinking materiality and raw materials, rather than a purely formal aspect.

We prefer to think of Lattoog's design not as a formal, visual style based on visual characteristics. We believe that our style lies in the way we think. So, it's a way of thinking that always seeks to express some Brazilianness, being a statement that our country needs to characterize itself in this environment. Translated into form, it's a design style that, inevitably, people end up identifying as having a lot of curves, self-made challenges that we set ourselves, especially with wood.

Brazil is a very inspiring country, with a culture that is easy to inspire and translate into design. And it's a country that is, at the moment, in great need of thinking about its products, about its industry, with an industry that has become a little outdated in this sense. So, we saw a huge manufacturing capacity, with one of the largest industrial volumes on the planet, but which is in great need of a design culture in industry.

We work with only a few companies, almost all of them Brazilian and made of furniture. And we work not by project, but by relationship. So we are always thinking about projects for these partner companies over time. There are partnerships that have existed for 15 years. So there are only a few of them, but we work with them constantly and always on a royalty-sharing basis on product sales.

Traditionally, we always start drawing by hand, doodling some idea that is then discussed with the team, who will make a 3D model, refine it and turn it into a product. And then this process of refinement is long, it's extensive, it goes through many options, many variants, which can be very close to what I wanted to design or very different from it. But we're also always open to another type of approach, which can be experimentation done directly in the factory, more craft. Or, from a collection we've put together of projects left half-finished, we can revise, mix and create other designs. So there are various processes, but traditionally it's a hand-drawn doodle on a sheet of paper that starts to provide the first stimulus.

Leonardo Lattavo divides his time between Lattoog and the university where he teaches. In the studio, much of his time is spent with the team developing projects, usually furniture, which can be on client demand or future projects. Moog and Lattavo also dedicate themselves to running the studio, giving lectures and visiting factories. In addition, Moog focuses on managing our stores.

Always look for something that makes the project very specific, that isn't a repetition of patterns and uses that have already been made. And that something specific could be in the use, it could be in the materiality, it could be in the shapes, you name it. It's hard to say what that something specific would be, but without having that particularity, it's harder to stand out in the market.

We think it's to be your own biggest critic. You have to have more periods of dissatisfaction than satisfaction when you're designing. If you're too satisfied, too easily, or if you ignore small dissatisfaction in the design, you could be missing an opportunity. So we're really always trying to remove any discomfort that the product might have, until we get to the result. So you can go through many stages of study, dozens, or even hundreds.

The designer needs, among all the skills, not to draw, nor to have technical skills with a computer or any specific skill, but to know how to observe. When you observe, that's when the questions are raised, and the hypotheses to come up with something new.

The shortest time projects last is one year. Many are revisited many times over the years, they need to mature to reach a final form. But even a project that has been launched and becomes a product is not exempt from being reworked; the constant search for improvement is part of the design project.

We want to continue on the path we're on, but we want to work more and more on more socio-environmental projects and go beyond furniture, which is the majority of our projects. So we want to work more with electronics and other products that go outside our comfort zone.

As a team.

On Instagram @lattoog and by e-mail projetos@lattoog.com