Showcasing the best in cotemporary Brazilian Design, The IDEA/Brasil Awards took place last night with an Oscar-like fanfare in São Paulo's Teatro Frei Caneca. Organized by Objeto Brasil in association with the Apex-Brasil, the award is endorsed by the IDSA and is the first time the International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) has been held outside of the United States.

53 Designers and Agencies were awarded prizes for work ranging across the full spectrum of consumer and commercial goods. Highlights included the 'Phenom 100' private jet from the Brazilian aircraft manufacture Embraer, the 'Super Bossa' pendant lamp by designer Fernando Prado, 'Max Door' by design agency No Design, the 'Ziplux' outdoor light-totem by Komlux, the awesome 'Stark 4WD Flex' off-road jeep by Questo Design and TAC, the 'Gear Cube for wheelchairs' reducing 50% the amount of energy expended by Ronem Perlin, and the playful 'Goma Stool' from designer Renata Moure.

In the next few days we'll be posting more detailed reports and interviews with some of the amazing Brazilian designers we've met in the last week, and for anyone lucky enough to be visiting São Paulo in the next 2 weeks, don't miss the finalists work on display at the IDEA/Brasil exhibition on the 7th Floor of the Teatro Shopping Frei Caneca.

Click through for more action from the opening party.

It's an exciting time for Brazilian Designers as the country is enjoying economic stability for the first time in many years, a rapidly growing domestic market and international recognition for their innovation design and unique mix of Latin America and European sensibilities.

The winners of IDEA/Brasil are automatically entered in IDEA, the international edition of the award and the finalists work will be exhibited in Rio de Janeiro, Curtiba, Brasilia, and US cities Washington and Phoenix later this year.

Many thanks to Joice Joppert Leal and her team at Objeto Brasil for their warm hospitality and insider tips for São Paulo.