Felipe Carolo shares inspirations behind his studio at CASACOR SP

Felipe Carolo is one of the newcomers in the cast of CASACOR SP 2025. The architect was responsible for the creation of the Estúdio Theodoro, a 72 m² space that includes a home office, living area, integrated kitchen with dining, bedroom, and bathroom – all divided by curved cabinetry and wooden panels with central holes. The professional's references range from Brazilian modernism to Bauhaus and the Casa Lana – a revolutionary project by Ettore Sottsass, executed in Milan in 1967. In the interview below, Felipe Carolo shares details about his creative process, trends, and the realization of already arriving at CASACOR SP as one of the highlights of the edition.

1. Share the proposal and inspirations of your project at CASACOR SP

"My way of designing is through telling stories. When the invitation from CASACOR came up, I first thought about looking for the history of the Parque da Água Branca [location of the exhibition in 2025], as it is a listed heritage site. My research focused on the construction of the park, who was the responsible architect, and so forth. I discovered that the site was conceived by a British man, between 1920 and 1930, the same period when the Brazilian Modern Art Week was taking place – which aimed to break free from Eurocentrism – and the Industrial Revolution, completely changing the way of living. Anyway, I did a beautiful research and was finding where to get inspired. It was then that I thought about not only talking about modernism, but also about Bauhaus. It is a way of dialoguing with the architecture of the building, the park, and the moment the world was living in its construction. Initially, my project had no walls, but it had to be altered due to the heritage issue. I believe that this only enhanced the language I was bringing. Can you imagine living there? Surely! Does it have an artistic touch? It definitely does!"

2. What is the relationship of your project with the Casa Lana by Ettore Sottsass?

"When I presented my first project to Pedro Ariel [CASACOR's Relationship Director], it was a completely open loft, just with a dividers made of little balls. He looked and said: 'Are you aware of how inspired you were by Casa Lana?'. I didn't know about it, but when he showed it to me, I saw that it really had a lot to do with it. This is because it was believed in Bauhaus and modernism that you did not need much to live, it was the world of workers. Everyone lived boxed – that was the Casa Lana! When the changes came [due to the building structure], walls became part of the project again. At that moment, it made even more sense. That was when the question of panels as dividers arose. So, Casa Lana unconsciously guided me to box more things, sectoring the projects and bringing fluidity. On the other hand, Casa Lana does not have curves or highlighted artwork. Those inspirations came from my later research about the 1970s."

3. And where does the name Estúdio Theodoro come from?

"Do you want to see the meaning? He’s a bit dirty because he hasn’t bathed. This is Theo, the owner of the house [he says while holding his dog in his arms]. All my projects are like this, in fact. Most people create a character for CASACOR, but my character is the public who identifies with my space. I followed what I adhere to in my life: all my personal projects follow names of people or dogs. I’m a dog lover, why not name the CASACOR space Theodoro?"

4. What materials stand out in your projects?

"I love natural stone, marble, granite, quartzite... But in this project, I wanted to present a different Felipe. When I saw this space, I knew I wanted to use colors. So, I chose the materials based on the colors that matched. One funny thing is that, despite that, I am colorblind. It was a bold move for my perspective on colors [laughs]. The laminate came as a key piece when I thought about the curves. I would highlight this as the main material, but glass was also very important. We worked with an artisan to create the blown glass effect. Besides that, I was able to restore the material: the wooden flooring! I believe it tells a story, it made much more sense to keep it as perfect as possible than to add other things to tell the history of the building, right?"

5. Is there any element of the project that you point out as a trend in decoration?

"The earthy colors, without a doubt! In fact, I would go further: these tones are part of a larger trend, which is the 1970s. In general, this play of balancing vintage with contemporary style is very visible in CASACOR this year. Another thing to add is that everyone is using curves! More than ever, they are here to stay."

6. Talk about the choice of primary colors and how you made sure not to weigh down the visual.

"The entire project started with the idea of using pure forms and primary colors. But how to do that in a projects where you need to live? The answer was to bet on earthy tones. So, I was looking for references of materials and conceiving it that way. When I bring those colors, it is to show that it is possible to be colorful without clashing. Without that heavy feel, you know?"

7. Your projects include, almost equivalently, geometric and organic artworks. How did you balance the two aesthetics?

"When you use a colored rug, like I placed, you can take two paths: put a piece of art ton sur ton, which might fade there, or you can embrace that it has a autonomous presence in the decoration – that’s what I believe! Initially, I was in doubt whether everything needed to be geometric because the space is geometric. But the truth is the paintings fit in a subjective way. [caption id="attachment_196621" align="alignnone" width="646"][/caption> When I finished, I realized that upon entering the projects, you only see organic shapes. When looking from the opposite side, everything is geometric. I think it was unconscious, they just fitted in a bizarre way. It’s what I always say: 'the rug dresses the floor, the curtains and the paintings dress the walls'"

8. This project marked your debut at CASACOR, with the cover of the annuary. What does Estúdio Theodoro say about you and your work?

"From the bottom of my heart, I can say that I did not expect any of this. There is a certain sensitivity in my work, I like to let things flow gradually. I wanted to deliver something different for CASACOR and, mainly, for myself. So, I was finding this authenticity amidst my research. I never expected to be the cover of an annuary right off the bat. I gave everything I could, in the best possible way and I was very happy. I prepared myself to receive many more negative critiques, I thought no one would understand my space. But if half a dozen people understood, I would be fine. It was a gift after so much work. I took four years to arrive at CASACOR, preparing for this moment. I have been graduated for 12 years and 10 years with my own office, I knew exactly where I wanted to go. Today I can say that CASACOR is a turning point in the career of an architecture professional. I always heard that, and now I can confirm that it really is. Even if I weren't the cover, it already changed my professional life."

9. How does your projects relate to the theme "Semear Sonhos"?

"Wanting or not, being at CASACOR is a dream. Everyone delivers what they can, I am not the only one. So, there are two dreams happening at the same time: mine as an architect and the dream dialogued in our space, with the choice of materials, structure… and everything that brings that sense of dreaming. Everything flowed very well, the theme could not be anything else."