Established in 2002, ESPASSO is committed to conserving Brazil's rich 20th century design heritage and expanding its global reach, while promoting new creative generations and today's leading designers.
Present in New York, Los Angeles, Miami and London, the gallery represents mid-century modern and contemporary Brazilian designers, and has consolidated itself as a thriving outpost for architects, interior designers, artists, collectors and museum curators, to engage in education and exchange.
The brand has acquired global recognition for its curatorial vision and impeccable services, representing works of the finest execution and enduring cultural relevance.
Born in São Paulo, Carlos Junqueira is the founder of ESPASSO and one of the most influential advocates for Brazilian design internationally. In 2002, encouraged by a close friend, he opened a modest warehouse in Queens, NY, with a seminal vision to introduce Brazil’s furniture design to the United States, creating a new language and appreciation for its creative patrimony.
From that seed grew ESPASSO, now recognized worldwide as a leading reference in modern and contemporary Brazilian design. Guided by Carlos’s intuitive, discerning eye and deep respect for craftsmanship, ESPASSO has held a defining role in bringing global recognition to the design legacy of masters such as Sergio Rodrigues, Claudia Moreira Salles, Lina Bo Bardi, Oscar Niemeyer, Jorge Zalszupin, Carlos Motta, and an entire vanguard of designers whose works shape Brazil’s cultural identity.
In 2012, Carlos expanded into Europe with the opening of ESPASSO London, consolidating the brand’s role as an authority and cultural ambassador for Brazilian design on the global stage.
Two decades later, Carlos is more than ever driven by the same conviction that started it all: that Brazilian design should not only be exported, but seen, understood, contextualized and celebrated for its unique sensibility.
Carlos Junqueira, a longtime collector and purveyor of Brazilian mid-century design, opens ESPASSO in a modest Long Island City warehouse with an ambitious and, at the time, innovative vision: to preserve and promote Brazil’s 20th century legacy and contemporary design internationally. From its inception, the gallery introduced the American market to iconic Brazilian designers and exceptional artisanal production, establishing a bold and distinctive curatorial identity.
ESPASSO relocated to Tribeca, where it established its current flagship. The move marks a turning point, positioning ESPASSO as a leading reference for Brazilian modern and contemporary design in New York’s cultural landscape.
Carlos Junqueira expands ESPASSO’s presence across the Atlantic with the opening of its first European outpost, in London. The gallery became a pioneering platform for Brazilian design in the UK, strengthening international recognition and fostering cross-cultural dialogue.
ESPASSO opens its Miami gallery, marking a significant expansion of its U.S. presence and strengthening its engagement with the broader Hispanic cultural context of the Americas.
ESPASSO opens a dedicated vintage annex at 186 Franklin Street in Tribeca. The space deepens the gallery’s commitment to historical preservation, presenting rare and museum worthy mid-century works alongside its contemporary program.
That same year, Carlos Junqueira was honored with a letter of appreciation and gratitude from the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the gift of the Prisma Stool, designed by Zanini de Zanine, in recognition of his contribution to the museum’s collection.
Carlos Junqueira received a letter from The Metropolitan Museum of Art following the gift of Sergio Rodrigues’s iconic Mole Armchair and Ottoman. As the first modern Brazilian design work to enter The Met’s holdings, the museum noted that the piece would serve as a foundation for the growth of a broader collection of Latin American modern design, stating:
“It can take just one object to give us a new perspective on another, ask questions of us that we never before considered, or change the way a single visitor sees the world.”
ESPASSO opens its West Coast gallery in Los Angeles, marking a significant expansion and reinforcing its role as a bi-coastal platform for Brazilian modern and contemporary design in the United States.
Marking over two decades of work, 2025 signals a renewed phase for ESPASSO. With a refreshed visual identity, the gallery looks toward the future while honoring its roots. This chapter reaffirms ESPASSO’s commitment to excellence, cultural stewardship, and the enduring legacy of Brazilian mid-century and contemporary design, expanding the conversations and creative exchanges that have defined the gallery since its founding.
