Brazilian at heart, global in spirit: Aprender Design lets us in on the online school’s jump to the US

“There are two ways to approach education – one is like filling a bucket, that is, adding knowledge to a person’s mind. The other is like lighting a candle, in which you help an individual illuminate themselves for the long term,” Gustavo Bittencourt, Co-founder of Aprender Design tells us. In 2020, Bittencourt found himself deep in conversation with designer Gláuber Sampaio at a jazz and wine bar in São Paulo, where he shared his vision “for a totally different kind of design school” with Sampaio. Soon after, the duo launched Aprender Design in Brazil, allowing them the space to throw out the rule book, and instead, focus on their unique approach to design education, more akin to ‘lighting candles’ than ‘filling buckets.’ Since then, the school has offered meaty, comprehensive courses, led by some of the sharpest minds in the industry. Following a few winning years in Brazil, Aprender is now bringing its online courses to the United States, reaching newer audiences and the next generation of designers. Hot off the heels of their expansion, we caught up with Bittencourt and Laura Scofield – Aprender’s US Partner. Together, they take us through the school’s new chapter, and tell us why their team of handpicked instructors are the beating heart of the school. RB: Hi Gustavo and Laura! How is this month treating you?