Dwelling in Memory

To Renata Furlanetto, architecture is more than form and function. Rather, it's about crafting spaces that hold meaning, memory, and human connection. The Studio MK27 architecture director reveals why

- By Amanda Goh

As architecture director at Studio MK27, one of Brazil's most influential residential design firms, Renata Furlanetto has helped shape projects that span continents, from the sun-washed villas of Patina Maldives to immersive pavilions at world expos.

Graduating from FAU-Mackenzie in 1997, with further studies at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona, she has been recognised with awards such as the Europandom and the IAB Young Architects Award.

Since joining Studio MK27 in 2001, she has overseen landmark works including Ramp House and the Brazil Pavilion for World Expo Osaka, while leading the team on more than 15 competition projects. Her trajectory reflects Studio MK27's Brazilian modernist legacy, refined through contemporary precision and sensitivity.

“Home is where the people you love are,” she says simply. In an age obsessed with spectacle, her work champions intimacy over ostentation. To Furlanetto, a home is more than just a place; it’s about putting meaning to a place—something that is evident in all her works at Studio MK27.

Tatler Homes Singapore spoke with Furlanetto during her sojourn in Singapore as one of the speakers at the Singapore Archifest Conference 2025, where she unpacked her philosophy on home, her approach to tropical modernism, and timeless designs.

You've worked all over the world. How have those experiences shaped the way you think about home today?