A modernist painter, sculptor and designer, he is considered one of the most important and influential figures in 20th century Brazilian design. Born into a family of carpenters in Melo (Portugal), at the age of 22 he moved to Brazil, where he began his adventure in various furniture factories such as Leandro Martins, Francisco Gomes, and Laubisch & Hirth. In the 1940s, he founded Langenbach & Tenreiro Ltd. Abandoning traditional aesthetics in favour of a modern style, he introduced European techniques and shapes into Brazilian manufacturing culture; from his homeland he retained the use of robust Amazonian woods such as jacaranda, peroba and imbuia.