Zanini from Zanine

Zanini de Zanine was born in 1978 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He spent his childhood with his father, the renowned Brazilian architect and designer José Zanine Caldas. Zanini was exposed to working with wood before he could even walk, and under his father’s guidance, he developed a keen sense of art. Zanini was essentially raised to be a furniture designer, a pursuit he has dedicated his entire life to. In 2002, Zanini received his degree in Industrial Design from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RIO), and the following year, he opened his own studio, producing furniture and sculptures made from the finest exotic woods, which are meticulously salvaged, at times, from his father’s architectural projects. His talent for design and his appreciation for craftsmanship led him to success early in his career and gave him the opportunity to meet and work with some of the most respected names in Brazilian architecture and design, including Lúcio Costa, Sergio Rodrigues, and Sérgio Bernardes. Sergio Rodrigues pays tribute to Zanini: “Zanini de Zanine inherited all the artistic and artisanal qualities, as well as the moral and ethical virtues, from his father, the designer. Zanininho, as I call him, served as an apprentice but collaborated with me like a veteran in my studio. … All his projects stand in stark contrast to his humility.”