Juliana: Hi, I’m Juliana Lima Vasconcelos, an architect from Brazil. I work primarily across interior and product design. I’m happy to be here with MINDED and with you, Yuri  thanks for the invitation.

Yuri: We’re both Brazilian, but we’ll do this in English so everyone can follow. How are you?

Juliana: I’m well and traveling a lot. I keep my main office and creative team in Belo Horizonte, but I now split my time mostly between Paris and London. Being here with the team full‑time is great for creative momentum.

Yuri: One of your standout works this year posed a question: “What if your morning coffee became a full‑body sensory journey?” That’s essentially what you achieved with the Lavazza installation at Milan Design Week. How did you turn a source of pleasure into a 360° experiential design?

Juliana: The brief was “100% coffee” for a new product launch, but I hadn’t seen the product yet. Coffee is personal for me  I’m from Minas Gerais  so I approached it as a ritual. The first image that came to mind was a circle: a pure, symbolic form. I imagined a central fountain as the life‑source  energy, pleasure, gratitude  and a space to meditate and pause time. We layered scent, sound design, and tactile textures so visitors could truly enter a journey.

Juliana (cont.): The experience began with a dark transition corridor to disconnect from the bustle of Milan. The first soundscape referenced prenatal rhythms, triggering unconscious memories much like coffee can. You then arrive at the circular ritual space with the fountain; finally, a bright, laboratory‑like third act presented the future of coffee and the new product.

Yuri: Beautiful. For listeners unfamiliar with the term, what is experiential design to you?

Juliana: It’s when design engages multiple senses  sight, touch, scent, sound  to create a sense of belonging and deeper memory. It blends architecture, design, art, music, light, and context. My background in classical music makes me especially attuned to sound. Materiality is key: my work became stronger when I returned to my roots in Minas Gerais  natural woods, fibers, earth tones  and let those narratives inform the pieces.

Yuri: How did this commission start, and what did the timeline look like?

Juliana: Curator Maria Cristina Didero reached out via the Paris de’ Vitale agency with a very short deadline  about one week for a concept to secure the opportunity. I was in Paris without my team and spent three silent days thinking and meditating. The circle and fountain appeared immediately; from there, we developed layout and the third act. We barely changed the core idea afterward. They contacted me in September; we finalized design around February; on‑site build was ~2 weeks after off‑site fabrication of the fountain and infrastructure.

Yuri: What constraints did you know up front?

Juliana: We had indicative site sizes  I wanted the largest architectural presence possible. Options shifted, so I drafted a smaller version too, but it lacked power. Landing Palazzo del Senato’s courtyard was ideal: iconic, beautiful, and big enough to stage the three acts with real impact.

Yuri: Large projects often teach us something about ourselves. What did this one reveal?

Juliana: It was a turning point. I studied architecture, moved into interiors, then furniture for creative freedom. But this installation showed me that combining scales and senses  architecture, scenography, sound, materiality  is my most complete mode of expression.

Yuri: Are you a control‑everything designer, or do you make space for the project to speak?

Juliana: I have a strong signature, but my personality is flexible. I respect context and clients. That openness lets each project find its own aesthetic rather than forcing a single look.

Yuri: How has your voice evolved since you started?

Juliana: Early work had less maturity. Today I anchor interiors in research  historical, artistic, emotional  not just form and color. I’m still learning, but the added context yields subtler, better results.

Yuri: Was there a moment you felt, “I’ve got this”?

Juliana: I’m careful with that phrase, but I’m deeply passionate and would do this even without pay. Some works affirmed me  like the Giraffe Chair, conceived in about two days. It captures femininity and sensuality with simplicity and presence. A few interiors also feel harmonically resolved.

Yuri: We met in Paris at the CDA Awards, where you won Best Commercial Interior. What went through your mind when your name was called?

Juliana: I truly didn’t know in advance, so it was a joyful shock. The project felt strong in materiality and storytelling  hearing my name was a wonderful surprise that stayed with me for days.

Yuri: What’s next?

Juliana: I’m focused on retail, hospitality, and real estate projects in Europe and Brazil. After Milan, I’m eager to do more multi‑sensory architectural installations; one may happen this year.

Yuri: How do you choose projects?

Juliana: I’m strategic. I built a furniture brand producing our own pieces; now we’re open to brand collaborations under better terms. Two years ago my sister became a partner and runs operations, so I can focus on creative direction and relationships. Interiors/architecture take most of my time; design concepts often arrive quickly, with the team handling prototyping and production.

Yuri: Which sustainable materials will define the coming decade?

Juliana: We prioritize certified wood and stainless steel (well‑sourced in Brazil). I’m researching recycled plastics and new experimental materials. Sustainability is now a must, not optional.

Yuri: Is Brazil a good place to source sustainable options?

Juliana: Yes. There’s local development, and in Europe I’ve met materials labs focused on innovation. I’ve recently started deeper research and conversations, though pieces using the newest materials take time to realize.

Yuri: Any pushback with novel materials?

Juliana: The challenge is durability  especially for high‑use objects like chairs. It’s safer in art contexts; for furniture, we need more testing across time.

Yuri: How does your studio use AI?

Juliana: Daily for research and idea support  it goes deeper and faster than traditional search. We’re cautious with AI image generation; some teammates experiment, but we mostly design the old‑fashioned way. Overall I’m optimistic: we should integrate AI thoughtfully; it will empower many to DIY, but human authorship and limits remain.

Yuri: Tell us about your upbringing. When did architecture become real for you?

Juliana: I’m the youngest of four, raised in a traditional family in Belo Horizonte. My grandmother was a pianist; I studied classical music for years. As a kid I said I’d be an artist, then by 10–11 I declared I’d be an architect  that never changed. After a few years in practice (multifamily real estate), I missed artistic freedom and moved into interiors, then product.

Yuri: You spoke of your grandmother with such warmth. A favorite memory?

Juliana: She passed away 20 years ago, but I still dream of her house  those dreams feel like home. We had a ritual: I’d brush her hair; I’d lie on the sofa listening to her play piano; then we’d switch and she’d listen to me. Sundays at her home were magical  it was my second home.

Yuri: Three parting recommendations  a book, something to watch, and a future guest.

Juliana: Book: The Way to Paradise by Mario Vargas Llosa (interwoven lives of Paul Gauguin and his aunt Flora Tristán). It changed how I see Gauguin’s art.
Watch: The Room Next Door by Pedro Almodóvar - visually exquisite and deeply sensitive, touching on mortality.
Guest: Marc Leschelier. I’m a big fan of his work.

Yuri: We filmed with Marc and Sofia in Paris for MINDED in the City  wonderful people.

Juliana: They’re very nice.

Yuri: Juliana, AD Italy once said you’re bringing Made in Brazil to the world  I agree. Thank you for joining us. Let’s reconnect soon in Paris.

Juliana: Thank you, Yuri. It was a pleasure. See you soon in Paris.