RAFA specializes in Brazilian modernist design from the 1950s and 1960s
Pieces are sourced in Brazil and restored by skilled specialists. Restoration follows a conservation-led approach: original finishes are preserved wherever possible, and any interventions are carefully documented to ensure the integrity and longevity of each work.
Our permanent venue is taking shape just outside Amsterdam, in an early-20th-century heritage stable complex that once formed part of Haarlem’s historic racecourse. Under careful restoration, it will soon offer a tactile, personal environment for the collection.
Founded by Thomas Martojo, RAFA works with collectors, architects and private clients worldwide. For inquiries, collaborations or viewings, we welcome you to get in touch.
Sergio Rodrigues (1927–2014)
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Sergio Rodrigues trained as an architect but soon found his calling in furniture. From the start, he sought to express the warmth, humour, and generosity of Brazilian life through design.
In 1953 he co-founded Móveis Artesanal Paranaense and later established Oca, which became the cultural heart of Brazilian modernism. Over six decades he designed more than 1,200 pieces, furnishing homes, embassies, and Niemeyer’s buildings in Brasília. His work united architectural structure and intuitive comfort, combining imbuia, jacaranda, leather, and rattan in balanced, generous forms.
His Poltrona Mole (1957), later acquired by MoMA, defined his philosophy: comfortable, robust, and deeply human, what he called the Brazilian way of sitting. Rodrigues named his pieces with affection and drew them with wit, believing design should reflect culture rather than follow fashion.
He left behind more than furniture, a worldview in which design, architecture, and daily life were inseparable. Rodrigues remains the joyful humanist of Brazilian modernism.
