Students on the campus of Mackenzie Presbyterian University in 2023Students on the campus of Mackenzie Presbyterian University in 2023

Brazil Studio

L’École de design Nantes Atlantique in São Paulo

The Brazil Studio is the third international studio of L'École de design Nantes Atlantique after those opened in China and India.

Brazil Studio: an exceptional site for a unique multicultural experience

A member of BRICS, Brazil is a continental country that is increasingly open to the world. Today, as the second largest advertising market in the world behind the United States, it offers a host of opportunities, both cultural and professional.

It is in São Paulo, the largest metropolis in the southern hemisphere with more than 20 million inhabitants, that L'École de design Nantes Atlantique decided to set up the Brazil Studio in 2017. As the economic and financial center of Brazil, São Paulo is a particularly interesting learning ground, thanks to the richness and diversity of the different cultures present, coming from all over the world. Recently awarded the French Tech label, São Paulo is a creative, hyperactive, seductive, warm city, where design, architecture, communication, event and innovation agencies abound.

Sao Paulo

The site: The Mackenzie Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning of São Paulo, a city within a city

The Brazil Studio is based within the Mackenzie Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning (FAU), one of the most renowned in the country, founded over 150 years ago. A true city within a city, the campus combines history and technology, and offers students optimal conditions in the heart of São Paulo's cultural and professional life.

Green spaces, gourmet eating outlets, banks, sports fields, library: the secure campus is an absolutely fantastic place to study. Conveniently situated near a subway stop, the site is easily accessible from the city's main neighborhoods and points of interest.

Mackenzie Presbyterian University CampusWorkshop - Photo credit: Jules Riché, Brazil Studio educational coordinator

The degree: International Design Strategy Master's program/Brazil Studio

A unique two-year master's program specialized in International Design Strategy

The Brazil Studio Master's program offers a trilingual training program (French, English, Portuguese) that allows for accelerated learning of Portuguese and an understanding of the Brazilian context. Themes specific to the country of immersion (mobility, health, distribution, education, food, access to energy, waste treatment, environmental issues) are addressed, as well as its specific features (high population density, multiculturalism, natural resources, local crafts, democratic construction, etc.) in compliance with the degree program approved by the Ministry of Higher Education.

A double degree program

The double degree program (specialization in Design and Interculturality at Mackenzie University + International Design Strategy master's degree at L'École de design Nantes Atlantique) aims to complete the training of students and to allow for cultural exchange between Brazil and France, parties to the agreement.

5 good reasons to study design at the Brazil Studio

Our International Design Strategy master's program in São Paulo is designed for students who have completed three years of studies in design at L'École de design de Nantes Atlantique or elsewhere. Here are 5 good reasons to pursue your studies at the Brazil Studio: 

  • São Paulo, a creative city ideal for practicing design

A true artistic eldorado, São Paulo is considered one of the world capitals of street art. Artists have made the city their playground and create gigantic murals. With about a hundred museums and cultural centers, the metropolis is a cultural Mecca in Brazil.

  • Collaboration with Brazilian professionals

Since 2017, the Brazil Studio has been growing in the ecosystem of São Paulo's creative professions and thus works in collaboration with an important network of local professional actors (companies, associations, institutions).

  • A unique cultural openness

Through the projects carried out in the studio, there are many opportunities to deconstruct prejudices. It is an opportunity for students to become aware of cultural differences with their own country without passing judgment, and to put themselves in the place of the users.

  • A design that can be applied to new problems

These two years of studies in São Paulo facilitate the appropriation of multiple design perspectives, with the objective of a practical application of knowledge in addressing both local and multicultural issues. The students are confronted with problems on other scales and with stronger extremes. They must redouble their efforts to adapt their design practices and understand the challenges of innovation management in the Brazilian context.

  • A curriculum enhanced by international experience

The skills acquired and the international experience gained during their training at the Brazil Studio give students a profile that is highly valued by local and international companies.

Students on the campus of Mackenzie Presbyterian University in 2023Students on the campus of Mackenzie Presbyterian University in 2023
Brazil city
Student work Brazil

Learn more about Brazil Studio

Contact:

Jules Riché - Head teacher
j.riche@lecolededesign.com
Follow the Brazil Studio Instagram account

Address:

Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie
Rua da Consolação, 930
Consolação, São Paulo
SP, 01302-907

The Brazil Studio's environment and facilities
Mackenzie Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning (FAU)

As part of the Mackenzie Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning (FAU), students have access to exceptional facilities (ceramics, metal, wood, 3D printing and laser cutting workshops). The Brazil Studio also has a 26m² space reserved for the students of the program, allowing them to work in total autonomy on campus.

One of the specificities of the Brazil Studio is the diversity of its students. They are encouraged to collaborate with Brazilian students on certain projects or workshops. This implies adaptations, notably cultural, relative to the program's development on site. For example, the vast majority of Brazilian students are working in companies at the same time as their studies. As a result, classes are currently held only in the morning. This rhythm allows French students to complete their professional experience by doing additional internships in agencies, alongside their studies.

Finally, this diversity allows for a variety of student profiles, as well as interaction and a confrontation of methodologies, which is always very enriching in the context of professional training.

The teaching staff

The teaching team at the Brazil Studio is composed of professors from Mackenzie Presbyterian University and Brazilian, French-speaking and international professionals working in Brazil. Business leaders, freelancers, agency project managers or consultants - the profiles of the professionals who supervise the projects and courses are varied. Students have to adapt to different contexts and learn from experts in multiple fields (social, innovation, research, etc.) to allow them to develop their methodological, technical and design project management skills.

Partners of the studio

Projects and workshops are developed with professional or institutional partners. São Paulo is home to a large number of international brands (all the CAC 40 companies are present in the country), which allows us to work on issues where design and innovation are at the heart of the companies' strategic thinking.

Many institutions, organizations and associations are also open to the idea of collaborating in order to bring a unique vision and a fresh perspective to their activities.

The Brazil Studio has collaborated with companies such as Accor, Chandon, Costa Croisières, PSA (and now Stellantis), Clear Channel... but also local companies such as Suvinil, Appito, Mercy for Animals or We Fab.

Some Alumni stories
  • Benjamin Gicqueau - Junior Industrial Designer at Innovate Product Design
  • Samantha Rouvrais - Designer - Project Manager at Schoolab
  • Nino Pascal-Heilmann - Partner & Lead Creative Explorer at átiko7 and Co-founder & Designer at WiP atelier

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Updated on 27.03.24