Top 10 Contemporary Portuguese Designers

Portugal is a small country in size, but with a huge dimension and international recognition in terms of culture. Today, Boca do Lobo has selected 10 Contemporary Portuguese Designers that highlight the high level of creativity, technique, and wisdom in contemporary design. Showcasing a variety of creative processes and specialties, these artists, brands and designers combine tradition, innovation and passion, through remarkable works that are infused with their own unique personalities, often referencing their origins and the Portuguese culture.

Marco Costa – Boca do Lobo Design Studio

Founded in 2005, Boca do Lobo is an exclusive Portuguese furniture design studio. At the studio’s heart is a mission to reinterpret the past through technology and design in order to create emotional design experiences, and a sense of belonging, strongly influenced by Portuguese culture and by ancient artisan techniques.

Heritage Sideboard is a contemporary piece of furniture but also living tribute to Portuguese culture and techniques. Hand-painted-tiles have gained a privileged place in architecture throughout the centuries and Portugal has adopted them like no other country.

Martinho Pita – Martinho Pita Studio

Martinho Pita‘s interdisciplinary practice incorporates architecture, product design, photography and art installations. He first studied Architecture and the Arts at Edinburgh College of Art, and now lives in Lisbon working as a freelance architect and artist.

Pita’s first foray into the world of product design came in 2011 with Bichos. The collection is formed of glass lamps attached to unique branches from Portuguese Holm (Holly) Oak trees. These branches are intended to have a life cycle, metamorphosing from branch to lamp to firewood.

Fernando Brizio

Internationally exhibited and published designer Fernando Brizio is known for his ‘slapstick design’ approach. Brizio creates products for both manufacture and small-scale handmade production, along with designs for exhibitions and interiors.

His works also show an enhanced interest in the design process over functionality as he aims to create works that have a voice of their own.

Susana Soares

Susana Soares’ work explores the effect that the current technological re-design of nature could have on design. This fascinating inquiry is combined with an interest in with the interaction between the public and new scientific technologies and practices.

Her projects such as BEE’S have explored our understanding of technologically re-designed living systems and questioned how these could generate new frameworks within design practices. In this particular project, she asks ‘what if we could use insects’ extraordinary sense of smell to prevent and diagnose illnesses?’

Joana Vasconcelos

Joana Vasconcelos is a well-known contemporary artist that gained international recognition for her first participation in the 51st International Art Exhibition (Venice Biennale). Her designs have starred in multiple solo ad group exhibitions, and are featured in both private and public collections in Portugal, Spain, Italy and the USA.

Vasconcelos’ creative process is based on the appropriation of pre-existing forms, and the analysis of mainstream values, customs and habits. Her sculptural designs and installations such as Marilyn interpret these concepts through the use of monumentality, whilst other works feature a strong use of colour and pattern.

Joana Barbosa Santos – Insidherland

Joana Santos Barbosa is the founder and creative director of INSIDHERLAND.It was her passion for detail and architecture that drove her to create a range of exclusive furniture. Her main inspirations are culture, memory, tradition and the natural world.