An insider’s gaze: how Studio Tempo® leans into its experiences to create culturally resonant work

In a snug, whitewashed space in Galeria Metrópole in São Paulo, Vinicius Theodoro has set up the home of Studio Tempo®. After years of working with some of the biggest design agencies, Theodoro founded the studio to create a diverse, inclusive practice, unlike anything he had been a part of in his career. To bring a sense of honesty to his work, he leaned into his Afrocentric perspective to shape culturally resonant projects. It was an approach he baked into Studio Tempo®’s way of working. “We always try to decentralise our team, bringing in people from outside the major metropolitan areas and those immersed in the culture related to the project at hand,” Theodoro tells us. To peel back the layers of the studio’s oeuvre, we sat down for a chat with Theodoro and learnt about the team’s intention to create work that speaks to the audience it was meant for and to fill the gap in representation in design by “always bringing decoloniality and other perspectives into the conversation.” RB: Hi Vinicius, how’s everything in São Paulo? VT: São Paulo is bustling and chaotic as always, but everything is going well, thank you! The fast pace of the city keeps me moving.