Sergio Roberto Santos Rodrigues (September 22, 1927 â September 1, 2014) was a Brazilian carioca architect and designer. Along with Joaquim Tenreiro and José Zanine Caldas, Rodrigues was a pioneer of Brazilian industrial design and played a key role in introducing it to international audiences. He began his work in the field of architecture in the project of the civic center along with the also architects David Azambuja, Flávio Régis do Nascimento e Olavo redig de Campos.
Had the peak of his career in the 50s and 60s. Worked with furniture design according with the modernism, bringing the Brazilian identity to his projects, both in the design and traditional materials â leather, wood and rattan â exalting the Brazilian and native culture.
âÂÂIn fact, in this moment he did coexist the Brazilian-Brazil with "The Girl from Ipanema", sang later (1962) by Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes in the famous "Girl from Ipanema"â (Oscar Niemeyer).
Contemporary of Oscar Niemeyer and Lúcio Costa, his furniture was utilized in large scale in the construction of Brazil's capital BrasÃÂlia.
âÂÂIn that time (begin of BrasÃÂlia) we didn't have time to think about designing any furniture. We used the furniture from the market, selecting as the Palace wanted. The main designer to whom we selected was Sergio Rodriguesâ (Lúcio Costa).
His most famous work in the Sheriff's chair (1957), made in leather and wood, with fit and upholstery innovations that inspired works until today.
âÂÂThe piece of furniture is not just the shape, not just the material which is made but also something inside it. It's the piece's spirit. It's the Brazilian spirit. It's the Brazilian furnitureâ (Sergio Rodrigues). He died in 2014 at Rio de Janeiro of liver failure.