I started my studies at Escola Artística António Arroio, in Lisbon, with the focus on product design. Later, I continued my studies at Faculdade de Belas-Artes da Universidade de Lisboa and with the aim of deepening my knowledge and to continue my bachelor final project, where I was exploring the fine line between design and food, I received a scholarship for the Master in Food Design, at the Scuola Politecnica di Design, in Milano. Within this context I had the chance to understand how close these two worlds are and how unlimited design presents today.
In the last years I went trough quite diverse work experiences from the versatile Studio Joana Astolfi to the disruptive audio-visual production company Kinéma, in Lisbon, or the innovative bicycle company Vanmoof, in Amsterdam. These contexts have enriched my lexicon of tools, ranging from art direction, to graphic design or experience design. I felt that I become a more complete designer and person.
What made you become a designer?
The Sims – the video game, influenced a generation where I’m included. My was aspiration was to become an architect, so for my high-school I decided to start my studies at the Escola Artística António Arroio, where I had the chance to get in touch with the most different workshops. After attending the first year in Architecture, I realized the big difference in scale when comparing with the object’s scale. I felt a lack of plasticity that the most materials present, such as wood, ceramics, or textiles. I decided to switch to Product Design.
What is your inspiration?
Most designers aspire to improve the world to a better place through different methodologies and even for small changes to happen, for sure the most import source of inspiration are the persons, how they interact and socialize. I try to combine these social characteristics with the material culture and technologies, always keeping in kind that it can be used by everyone.
How do you describe your approach to design?
My approach is quite silent. Silent in order to keep a relatively simple visual language and incorporate pertinent details.
Describe the creative process when designing a piece.
Nowdays, I feel that my process to approach a design project has become slightly more intuitive and I find myself developing new projects with a similar approach. Unconsciously, Bruno Munari´s "The green rice problem" is still quite present in my way of working and approaching new challenges.
As a designer, what’s your strongest skill?
The curiosity for the world around us that help me to design with a wider perspective and more aware.
As I mentioned before, I had a quite diverse work experience, going from audio-visual production, graphic design or food design events, allowed to acquire knowledge and to become more versatile.
What would you say is the future of design?
I believe in a context where design will continue to provide a 360º view of its most diverse fields of intervention. It will follow the increasingly rapid technological and social transformation. We will see more collaborations between designers, engineers and scientists, introducing new, more sustainable and lasting materials, or new interactions with sociologists and anthropologists to create more collaborative societies. Design can be also seen as way to preserve traditional techniques and the know-how.
