Desafinado Hueyac Icpalli by Cass Saldanha

Desafinado Hueyac Icpalli by Cass Saldanha is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Mahuizolli A' Design Award Bronse in Caltlapechtli Tlachihchihualiztli Competition Category.

BronseCaltlapechtli· 2026

Desafinado Hueyac Icpalli

by Cass Saldanha

Client: SAL+Co

Mahuizolli A' Design Award Bronse Winner in Caltlapechtli Category

6,013

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #180459

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Desafinado Hueyac Icpalli

Desafinado ce hueyac icpalli tlen omochihchiuh queh ce tlanemililiztli itech tlahuelnamiquiliztli huan tlaixyehyecoliztli. Itlachiyeliz quitoca in Escandinavia tlachipahualiztli, ica melahuac tlaxotlaltin huan amo ohuih tlanacayotiliztli, monechicoa ica in etiliztli huan melahuacayotl tlen Brasil brutalista yancuic tlachihchihualiztli. In amo huehcapan itlatamachihual techyoleua ma timosehuican ica yolceuhcayotl, huan in tlaxelolli tlen quixelohua in netlaliloyan huan in tepotztli quichihua ce tlachiyaliz tehuiliztli. Ce tlanemililli tlapanahuiliztli quinamictia in netlaliloyan huan in tepotztli ipan occecni ohtli. Inin hueyac icpalli achi mochi omochihchiuh ica Europa ahuacuahuitl tlen tliltic tlapalli, huan ce canahuac imatica tlatzontli tlapechtli tlen Brasil cahuayo cuetlaxtli quitlamiltia in netlaliloyan.

The Recognition

About the Mahuizolli A' Design Award Bronse

Desafinado Hueyac Icpalli ca in quicuic in Mahuizolli A' Design Award Bronse, hueyi tlamahuizoliztli tlen momaca in cualli tlachihualli in motenehua ipampa yancuic tlamantli, tlamatiliztli ihuan ixtlamatiliztli. In quicuicah Bronse ca tlachihualli in quipia toltecayotl ihuan quinextia in cenca miac nemiliztli ihuan tlamatiliztli intlachihuanime. Ca quinequi in Desafinado Hueyac Icpalli ca tlazohtli tlamantli, mahuiztic ihuan cualli. Ni dizayno in quicuic Bronse quipia cualli toltecayotl ihuan quitta in tlen tepiton. Desafinado Hueyac Icpalli quipaquiltia in tlacah ihuan quitlamahuiztiltia in intlanequiliz.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The Desafinado bench is conceived as a study in balance and restraint. Rooted in Scandinavian design, it relies on simple, straight lines and clear geometry. The low-lying proportions invite a relaxed posture, while the split between back and seat creates a visual tension. An intentional overhang balances the extended seat and back to opposite directions, turning structure into function.
Dimensions & Packaging: Materials:
Black Stained Oak
Seat in saddle leather

Dimensions:
Width: 130 inches or 39624 mm
Depth: 16 inches or 4876.8 mm
Height: 22 inches or 6705.6 mm
Seat Height: 12 inches or 3657.6 mm
Tags: Bench, Brazilian, wood, Balance, furniture
Production Technology: The bench is built almost entirely from a single material: European oak. Finished with a black stain, the wood emphasizes grain, mass, and shadow. This restrained material choice reinforces the clarity of the design, allowing form, proportion, and structure to define the piece without distraction.
The bench is complemented with a thin, hand-stitched seat cushion upholstered in authentic Brazilian saddle leather forced from local small business.
Inspiration: The piece draws from Scandinavian clarity, but it is grounded in Brazilian brutalist modernism. Its forms are direct and architectural rather than delicate or refined. The bench avoids excessive polish, embracing weight, presence, and material honesty. This subtle roughness distinguishes it from Japanese minimalism and reinforces its brutalist character.
Project Duration: Conceived in Miami in 2022, the project evolved through an intensive four-month prototyping phase and reached its final form in August of that year. The bench exists as a true one-of-one piece; all remaining prototypes were deliberately destroyed upon completion, reinforcing its singularity.
Operation Flow: Beyond simple seating, the Desafinado Bench invites multiple uses: a surface to recline or stretch, a platform for books and objects, or an architectural element that works as a space divider or low table. It shifts easily between function and presence, adapting to the way the body and the room engage with it.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Cass Saldanha, 2022.
This design is available for reproduction. Please contact the Designer if you have interest in discuss intellectual property and licensing the rights.
Image Credits: Cassiano Saldanha