Between furniture, constructive innovation and industrial production, Percival Lafer built one of the most recognized trajectories in Brazilian design
Submitted at Oct 2, 2026, 4:00 PM
(Divulgação/Divulgação)
Few names have helped bring Brazilian design closer to industrial production like Percival Lafer. An architect by training, he built a career marked by the creation of furniture that combines functionality, comfort, and innovative construction solutions, becoming one of the important names of Brazilian modernism.
ETEL e Lissa Carmona - Galeria Modernista Expo Fragmentos do Avesso. Projeto da CASACOR Rio de Janeiro 2026. (André Nazareth/Divulgação)
This story returns to the center of the scene at CASACOR Rio de Janeiro 2026, with the exhibition Fragmentos do Avesso, held by ETEL and Arquivo Contemporâneo. The show brings together pieces and documents that reveal different aspects of Lafer's production and his relationship with the industry, in addition to placing him in dialogue with other chapters in the history of Brazilian design. Below, learn more about the architect and his main works.
Born in 1936, Percival Lafer graduated in Architecture from Mackenzie Presbyterian University, in São Paulo. While still young, he began working at the family's furniture company, Lafer, where he found in industrial design a field to experiment with new ways of producing furniture.
(Divulgação/Divulgação)
His work gained prominence from the 1960s onwards, when he began developing furniture designed for scale production, without giving up characteristics such as ergonomics, durability, and comfort. This combination of design and industry became one of the main hallmarks of his career.
Throughout his career, Lafer developed an extensive production of armchairs, sofas, and articulated furniture. Among the models associated with the designer are the MP-05, MP-41, MP-81, MP-91, and MP-185 armchairs, as well as the MP-79 and MP-13 sofas.
Olzi Arquitetura (Ana Zinato e Juliana Oliveira) - Studio Atos. Projeto da CASACOR Brasília 2023. (Edgard Cesar/Divulgação)
Although they have their own characteristics, these pieces share a concern with ergonomics, materials, and construction processes. The variety of models also shows how the designer explored different solutions without being bound to a single formal language.
Among Percival Lafer's most famous creations is the MP-1 armchair, launched in 1961. The design synthesizes some of the concerns that would accompany his production: exposed structure, diverse materials, and a construction that favors both comfort and industrial rationalization.
Poltrona MP-1 (MassModernDesign/Divulgação)
The piece combines wood, metal, polyurethane foam, and rubber straps. Instead of traditional steel springs, Lafer used a solution with straps and foam, creating a relatively simple structure, yet capable of offering comfort and support.
Percival Lafer's contribution goes beyond a collection of iconic furniture. His work helped consolidate a way of thinking about industrial design in Brazil, at a time when furniture production was undergoing important transformations.
Pé Palito - Percival Lafer - Pé Palito Móveis Vintage III (1960) (Divulgação/Divulgação)
Wood, metal, foam, and fiberglass appear in different projects, while articulated mechanisms expand the possibilities of use. The intention was to develop pieces that could be produced industrially and, at the same time, present quality of design and comfort.
Lafer's experimentation was not restricted to furniture. In 1974, the designer launched the MP Lafer, an automobile inspired by the MG TD and produced with Volkswagen mechanics. The model became one of the most recognized creations associated with his name.
O MP Lafer usado pelo ator Roger Moore no filme 007 Contra o Foguete da Morte (1979), gravado no Brasil (Divulgação)
The incursion into the automotive universe reinforces the multidisciplinary character of his trajectory. In addition to furniture, Lafer also developed projects related to architecture, architectural components, and urban furniture, expanding his work to different scales of design.
ETEL e Lissa Carmona - Galeria Modernista Expo Fragmentos do Avesso. Projeto da CASACOR Rio de Janeiro 2026. (André Nazareth/Divulgação)
It is within this context that Fragmentos do Avesso gains importance at CASACOR Rio 2026. The exhibition recovers pieces, documents, and elements related to Lafer's trajectory, allowing one to observe not only the finished furniture, but also aspects of the creative and industrial process behind them.
ETEL e Lissa Carmona - Galeria Modernista Expo Fragmentos do Avesso. Projeto da CASACOR Rio de Janeiro 2026. (André Nazareth/Divulgação)
By presenting his production alongside references of Brazilian modernism, the show helps to understand how national design was built from the encounter between architecture, industry, materials, and new ways of living. Decades after his first projects, Lafer's creations continue to show how function and innovation can go hand in hand in the design of a piece of furniture.
This text was developed with the assistance of CASACOR Publisher, an exclusive content agent developed by the CASACOR Technology team based on the knowledge base of casacor.com.br. The generated content was subsequently edited by Yeska Coelho.
