Ruy Ohtake
The late Ruy Ohtake was one of Brazil’s best-known and most respected architects.
Responsible for designing structures throughout the country and overseas with mastery and personality, Ohtake’s conceptual ideas can be recognised for their extreme sculptural forms and bold use of colour, always creating a sense of surprise. Highlights of his career include the house/studio he designed for his mother, Tomie Ohtake, in the early days of his practice; the semicircular Hotel Unique, considered by many to be an icon of the Brazilian boom of the 2000’s; and his long-standing collaboration with the Heliópolis favela community. A multi-faceted designer, Ohtake was also known for his product designs, bringing his originality and whimsical creations to furniture pieces, commercial collections, tableware and carpets. He received many national and international awards and honours, including the ‘Best of the Best’ Red Dot Design Award in 2019 for his design of Roca’s Ruy Ohtake Collection. He passed away in November 2021, at the age of 83 and his office has since been run by his son, architect and designer Rodrigo Ohtake.