Brazilian architecture Guilherme Torres founded his own studio in 2001. Many people give credit to his perfectionism for his success but according to him, it’s the eye that catching even the small details. His works are being accepted as a great combination of modern and traditional, this is because he never forgets his origins from the country he grew up and he use his traditional side as a step to go forward. He is mostly known with his residential projects but also his furniture designs caught a great global success, even his furniture designs are far away being ordinary and routinised.
Founded your own studio in 2001 and caught a great success after that, how would you describe your journey?
After almost two decades of working, I literally can say that I have maintained a constant trajectory. I am always searching for new challenges and this demands a great deal of courage. I started a long time ago in a pretty little town in the countryside, and thanks to the internet I achieved worldwide acknowledgment that I never thought I could. Besides that, on the other hand, It made me take the decision to leave an already stabilized market to seek a new and more consolidated career. I did not want to be the “countryside boy” anymore. Moving to Sao Paulo ten years ago got me refined and improved at a point that I have never imagined before, which also raised my studio to a higher level. Now we operate worldwide.
You are known with your perfectionism in your works, what is a perfect design to you?
Perfectionism is not a quality, it is a problem. However, I am a person with just a few virtues and a lot of flaws, and that is why I prefer to embrace all my difficulties. My biggest challenge is to feel fulfillment and satisfaction. For each project that we create, I review, retouch and try infinite possibilities.My main goal was never to please my client, because this would be too easy, it is actually getting out of my comfort zone. I really love confrontations, especially the ones that are always happening inside my mind.
Even your furniture designs are far from ordinary as all your designs, how do you keep yourself innovative?
I am a pretty curious person. At the same time, I am very distracted, I do pay attention to the little things that are unnoticed by most of the people. A few days ago, I was doing some grocery shopping and the contrast between the fruits inside a box got my attention. This could be silly for some people, but for me it is very authentic and strong. I believe that other people would be looking up trending websites, blogs or Instagram, but I keep paying attention to the little things around me.
No matter how modern your designs are, you don’t miss the traditional touches in your works. What role do they have for your style?
I am a country boy, it is something that is never going to change. I mean… now I am a middle age gentleman! I do enjoy and appreciate the simple things, with a sophisticated thought behind it all, but always made with simple materials.
Quality in design is your trademark now, what would you recommend to other designers who try to maintain the quality level?
Be your own tormentor, never your fan club. This way you will never yield to sycophants and keep closer to your true creative self.
