Does Latin America have an influence on the lighting of any other countries and what is exported to the rest of the world? Rafael Leão: It is a difficult question, even within Brazil. Brazil is very large and it all depends on the geography of the area. Sometimes you will have a mountain in the middle of the city, other times a completely flat area; in some cases it may be a dry space, in others an area with many trees. It’s geographically very different to the United States, where everything seems to be too bright. We are closer in some aspects to Europe, with a very clean and uniform style of lighting. Brazil is evolving... but it will take a while.
Víctor Palacio: The process is similar to the rest of the world, but it is true that there are certain cultural backgrounds to take into account. The fact that in some countries the same languages are spoken can have an influence. In Spanish light refers to something feminine, like the moon. A common factor in Latin America is love, emotions and sensuality... What is the effect of energy, sustainability and regulations? Do they undermine the creative process? Rafael Leão: In Brazil we have certain codes of practicebut we have to adapt to low budgets, limited technology and peculiar construction techniques. This results
in influences on the design. You must adapt to the architecture. But all this forces you to find a unique solution. We have been copying the European style for a long time, with glass facades. But we started to encounter certain problems. With the long hours of sunshine, the buildings get very hot, creating an increase in internal temperature, and therefore a lot of energy is consumed through air conditioning systems. We also have particular techniques that allow us to create personalized finishes. Fernando Piedrabuena: In Argentina everything related to electricity is very cheap. This is very different from the rest of Latin America. In this case we think about designs that can solve problems.
Top Centro Universidad de Diseño, Mexico City, Mexico Lighting design Ideas en luz, Victor Pallacio Bottom Bellas Artes, Mexico City, Mexico
© Maira Acayaba / Caio A. Falcão
© Victor Pallacio
Lighting design Ideas en luz, Victor Pallacio
Left Cetelem Bank, Sao Paulo, Brazil Architect Arealis Brasil
© Victor Pallacio
Lighting design Rafael Leão Right Cha Cha Delicatessen, Sao Paulo, Brazil Architect AR Arquitetos Lighting design Rafael Leão