Design em Lisboa: How did your journey in the arts and architecture begin? Was there a turning point that led you to follow this path?

Antonio Ferreira Junior: My encounter with architecture was one of those accidents that seem guided by fate. I applied for Law school but didn’t get in — something I now see as the universe setting me on the right path. It was through Architecture that, unexpectedly, I found my true home. In the very first subjects, I realized there was something there that belonged to me: a quiet talent awakening, a passion that surprised me with each stroke. Art came shortly after, as a natural extension of this new way of seeing the world. Since then, architecture and art have become two sides of my path — both expressions and constructions of who I am and what I dream.

DL: You work across several disciplines — architecture, scenography, and painting. How do you explore these practices day to day? Does one take precedence over the others?

AFJ: Working across architecture, scenography, and painting is, for me, like moving between different landscapes of the same soul. Each discipline has its own rhythm and language, but they all feed each other. Architecture is my central axis — it gives me structure, scale, and spatial logic. Scenography allows me to explore the ephemeral, the sensitive, the impact of the moment. And painting is my most intimate territory, where ideas take form without limits, almost like breathing. In my daily practice, these fields intertwine: sometimes a set design is born from a pictorial sketch; other times a building façade carries something theatrical. I like to think that, at their core, they are all ways of telling stories through space, light, and color.

DL: Which references have most shaped your vision — in art, design, or architecture? Are there names or movements you see as foundational to your work?

AFJ: I carry many references — some conscious, others almost invisible, but all of them shaping how I see. In architecture, I’m deeply moved by the work of Lina Bo Bardi and her sensitive way of connecting material, culture, and affection. I’m also influenced by Álvaro Siza’s spatial gestures and Tadao Ando’s silent poetics. In art, I’m fascinated by the freedom of Hélio Oiticica, the emotional density of Rothko, and the narrative strength of contemporary Latin American artists. In scenography, I’m inspired by those who create entire worlds with minimal elements — where light, emptiness, and detail speak louder than grandeur. I don’t follow any particular movement, but I’m guided by what makes sense — what reveals the beauty of the essential and the power of space as a language.

DL: How would you describe your approach to interior design? What do you aim to create when envisioning a space?

AFJ: My approach to interior design begins with listening. I try to understand my client’s desire to live — what they dream of, what moves them, what they want to feel when inhabiting a space. From there, my role is to translate that dream into reality, honoring and valuing their personal collection, their stories, and affections. I believe a home should reflect who lives there — not just an idealized aesthetic. I aim to create spaces with soul, where every choice makes sense and carries something personal. It’s in this dialogue between the essential and the emotional that a truly meaningful environment is born — functional, beautiful, and full of identity.

DL: Materiality, light, and color are key elements in your work. Where do you begin when designing a new project?

AFJ: My signature is deeply linked to color and modern Brazilian furniture — elements that run through my work and reveal my aesthetic identity. Even during the first meeting with a client, I try to introduce these references, always with sensitivity, seeking to understand how they can engage with other contemporary languages. For me, the challenge and beauty of a project lie precisely in this balance: combining an emotional attachment to tradition with the fluidity of the present. It’s this harmony between the classic and the contemporary that gives my projects a timeless quality — spaces that carry history while also breathing the present.

DL: Emotion plays an important role in your creative process. How do you balance intuition and functionality in the spaces you design?

AFJ: Emotion is always present in my creative process — it’s what gives meaning to the space, what transforms architecture into experience. But it doesn’t exist without function: beauty is only complete when it serves those who inhabit it. I try to balance intuition and functionality by listening to the space and to the person who will live in it. Sometimes, an idea emerges from a feeling or a memory brought by the client — and from there, I draw, organize, give shape. Technique, proportion, and comfort are tools I use to make sure that emotion doesn’t get lost, but instead materializes with precision. In the end, what I seek is to create spaces that move — that are beautiful, yes, but above all, truthful.

DL: The Aquarius collection, created for Punto e Filo, stems from your paintings. How did the idea of transforming canvases into tapestries and rugs come about?

AFJ: The Aquarius collection came from a very intuitive process. I started painting watercolors without initially imagining they could become design objects. When I shared these works with Punto e Filo, they told me it was technically possible to translate them into rugs and wall tapestries. I was instantly captivated by the idea. I’ve always believed that art shouldn’t be confined to walls — it can be lived, stepped on, touched, integrated into everyday life. Aquarius emerged as a natural extension of my work: bringing the fluidity, transparency, and emotion of watercolors into textile materiality. A way to merge art, design, and architecture into a single language.

DL: You work with a vibrant color palette. What role does color play in your projects?

AFJ: Color plays a fundamental role in my projects — it has the power to completely transform the atmosphere of a space. I work with vibrant palettes because I believe color brings life, movement, and energy. More than an aesthetic choice, color influences mood and the perception of those inhabiting the space. It can warm, soften, energize, or soothe — and that’s why I always use it with intention. In each project, color is chosen to create a narrative, to dialogue with materials and light, and to reflect the identity of those who will live there. It’s the final touch that gives a space its personality, making it unique and emotionally connected to its inhabitant.

DL: How do you imagine the relationship between the person inhabiting your spaces and their surroundings? What kind of experience are you trying to create?

AFJ: To me, the relationship between the person and their space should be fluid and natural. Every project I design seeks to create a balance between the human and the built environment, as if they complete each other. I believe the space should be welcoming, yet inspiring — not just functional, but emotionally stimulating. I want each project to offer a rich sensory experience, where light, color, texture, and sound are interwoven in harmony, creating a space that not only shelters, but envelops. My goal is for the space to feel like an extension of one’s own personality — a place for reflection and comfort. Ultimately, I strive to create a sense of belonging, as if the place had been made specifically for the person who lives in it.

DL: You live in Brazil but work in several cities around the world. How do you see the dialogue between Brazilian and European design?

AFJ: Living in Brazil and working in different cities around the world has allowed me to develop a hybrid gaze — grounded, yet open. My references come not only from architecture or design, but also from films, exhibitions, and the aesthetics of the 1960s that inspire me, especially in decoration and the visual arts. This exposure to different cultures has brought me creative freedom and allows me to move naturally between languages. Brazilian design, with its lightness, material richness, and sensory power, engages beautifully with the rigor and elegance of European design. I enjoy provoking that encounter in my projects: blending tropical warmth with formal sophistication, vibrant color with clean structure. It’s within this crossing of references that my work finds its place — in a broader, freer, and ultimately more universal universe.

DL: What continues to inspire you in your work and everyday life?

AFJ: What continuously inspires me is the act of observing. Watching the light change throughout the day, people’s gestures in the streets, the textures of the cities I pass through. Silence also inspires me — it helps me listen more deeply to space and to myself. Conversations with clients, the challenges of each project, the collections I receive — they all feed me. Art, cinema, music, an unexpected color palette — these are small everyday discoveries that keep me going. And above all, the desire to create something meaningful, something that moves, that transforms. I’m still inspired by the possibility of revealing beauty in the essential and building, through each project, a unique way of inhabiting.

DL: What are you currently working on? Is there a new field or collaboration that particularly excites you?

AFJ: Right now, I’m working on some very special and diverse projects. I’m finalizing an apartment in Lisbon, a house in Dubai, and a residence in a São Paulo condominium — each with its own context, culture, and unique challenges. In August, I will begin a new apartment in Rio de Janeiro, a city that always inspires me with its light and energy. These experiences across different geographies have broadened my vision and allowed me to deepen the dialogue between Brazilian design and global references. What excites me most at the moment is precisely this ability to move between scales, cultures, and languages — and to transform all of it into projects with identity, soul, and permanence.