Kesley Santiago , a newcomer to CASACOR São Paulo 2024 , brought a new perspective to architecture and interior design. Her Njinga Room space synthesizes her technical expertise and innovative vision in a contemporary baby room inspired by African royalty. At the head of the Artek Design architecture firm, Kesley presented a 25 m² baby room with a theme influenced by African royalty. Inspired by the CASACOR 2024 theme, De presente, o agora , and by her own roots , discovered through a DNA test carried out in the United States in 2020, which revealed her ancestry from the Mbundu people , one of the main ethnic groups in Angola. The architect not only created a charming environment, but also highlighted herancestral origins based on nobility. In the project, the materialities of the room are represented through natural materials such as wood, sisal, iron and straw, which are significant elements in the history of the Mbundu people.

“I bring all this historical wealth to the design of the baby’s room. Elements such as wood , used in the construction of houses; iron, which was a spiritual and political symbol of strength, sustenance and lineage; the geography of the savannah, which, in addition to providing sustenance through agriculture, was the scene of battles between the natives and the Portuguese; the hydrography, which favored and made possible the escape of the natives; the mineral resources present in Angola, which are 36 out of 51 most sought after in the world, including gold, represented in details of the furniture ; the graphics of the fabrics; and the materiality of wicker, sisal and straw”, details the architect. Kesley designed not only the space, but also the furniture, the ethnic prints on the wallpapers and linens, as well as the design of the rug, which showcases all of her creativity and talent . After the opening of the CASACOR São Paulo exhibition, the architect launched the Muskinha by Kesley Santiago collection, with some of the products displayed in the exhibition. The space also features a pendant lamp called África, which refers to the natural resources of the territory of the Ndongo kingdom. Clay pieces and an armchair, which creates the aesthetics of a peacock with its wings spread, were also present in the space.