Léo Shehtman's story with CASACOR

When asked about what it means to be the architect who has most participated in CASACOR since its inauguration in 1986, Léo Shehtman jokes “I feel old” and adds “but also very happy and grateful for all of this, and I am sure that it is the result of a lot of persistence and dedication to what I do”. Always very outgoing, friendly and good-humored, Léo Shehtman told us a little about his life with CASACOR , architecture and design. The professional followed in the footsteps of his father, who was also an architect and graduated from Braz Cubas University in 1980, and as reported, with dedication and persistence he managed to conquer his space in the market, becoming a reference for the sector and market in which he works. Check out the interview below to learn more about the architect's career! 1. Tell us a little about your story. Why did you choose architecture? My father was an architect, so I always admired and had contact with architecture. When I got older, I found it very convenient to follow the same path as him. So I went to medical school, and I only did it for six months and then I dropped out, I hated it. So I ended up in architecture, there was no way out, it's what I love to do. 2. When did you feel recognized for your work in architecture and decoration? When my first project, the roof of my apartment, was on the cover of Casa Cláudia, I was 23 years old. 3. Have you ever won any awards in the field? I have already won several, CASACOR Award 2008, with Casa Bolha, CASACOR Award 2015, Olga Krell Magazine Award, Outstanding Project Award 2010, Miami Award – Lampa WTC among others for which I am very grateful. 4. How did the invitation to participate in CASACOR for the first time come about? Who made the invitation? The founders of CASACOR, Dona Angélica Rueda and Dona Yolanda Figueiredo, invited me. I participated from the first edition. 5. What was your first project at CASACOR like? What were your inspirations and what did you use at that time to create the environment? I remember that my first project was a bar under a staircase, innovative for the time. I used inspiration from the German architect Meyer.

Every project is a challenge, but I remember some moments, because at that time people were not used to modern technology, things like that. I remember one year when I made a glass floor – which is common today, but at that time it was very innovative, some people took off their shoes to walk, others stepped very slowly for fear of breaking it (laughs). 7. You are the architect who has participated most in the exhibition, what does this mean to you? That I'm old (laughs), just kidding. I feel very happy and grateful for all of this, and I'm sure it's the result of a lot of persistence and dedication to what I do. 8. Which project do you think is the most remarkable among those you have carried out at CASACOR and why? I really like the New Year's Eve I had at a hair and makeup salon in 2011, and Cláudia Raia arrived without makeup, with wet hair and did everything there. It was a spectacle, everyone stopped to watch. 9. Since the beginning of the show, there has only been one edition in which you have not participated. Why? I don't remember the year, but I know I was busy with projects in Miami, and then it was kind of close to the deadline and I decided not to participate. That was it. 10. You have also participated in CASACOR exhibitions in other states outside of São Paulo. Tell us a little about them, how did you get invited? Which states did you participate in? Campinas, in the interior of São Paulo, Vitória in Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília. I receive invitations, and I think it's very interesting to participate. I participate when I can, but I can't do them all. 11. What has changed in the exhibition in these 30 years? How do you see the architecture and decoration market in Brazil? The Brazilian market is going through a difficult time, as in all segments. But I believe that the architecture market in Brazil is something to be proud of. Brazilian architecture is one that has international recognition, and I think Brazilian architects are very good. 12. What was it like to participate in CASACOR this year, the 30th anniversary edition? For me, participating in the 30th year of CASACOR was incredible. I have been participating since the first edition and have only missed one, and I always take into account the trends and the latest developments in the world for my projects. This year I wanted to do something very different, with a sustainable approach. I reused an existing structure – the train – and gave it a new purpose, transforming it into a housing concept. Check out the gallery below for some photos from the architect's personal collection that illustrate the professional's 30 years with CASACOR ! [galeria-abril id='26679' type='slider']