Vasco Fragoso-Mendes
Artist + Designer
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Vasco Fragoso Mendes is as much a technical artisan as he is an experimental designer. The practice is centered around the concept of duality, balancing pure materiality, such as wood, paper, cork or metal with geometric and organic feels.
Contrasting materials and designs are part of the work’s image and feed the imagination for further explorations. All the pieces are ever-evolving, with each new production, there are new ways to refine, adjust, or rethink details. That process of constant evolution is the core of the practice, pushing boundaries, to do better and grow through time and experience.
Born in Lisbon, 1993, Vasco has an international background, having lived and studied in New Zealand and Australia. He has also represented Portugal in international rugby for 12 years, a pursuit that reflects his resilience and has left its mark on his methods and experimental approach. As an Architecture graduate, his thesis focused on Wood Building, and later founded the design studio Barracão – Wood and Architecture Design.
Since 2020, his work spans across Europe and the US, from Lisbon to Paris, LA to Madrid, Rome to New York, Brussels or Berlin. He has also exhibited work at prestigious events as Paris Design Week, Lisbon Design Week or Edit Napoli.
Vasco’s work combines the geometric precision of architecture, the craftsmanship of woodworking, and the spirit of sport.
Contrasting materials and designs are part of the work’s image and feed the imagination for further explorations. All the pieces are ever-evolving, with each new production, there are new ways to refine, adjust, or rethink details. That process of constant evolution is the core of the practice, pushing boundaries, to do better and grow through time and experience.
Born in Lisbon, 1993, Vasco has an international background, having lived and studied in New Zealand and Australia. He has also represented Portugal in international rugby for 12 years, a pursuit that reflects his resilience and has left its mark on his methods and experimental approach. As an Architecture graduate, his thesis focused on Wood Building, and later founded the design studio Barracão – Wood and Architecture Design.
Since 2020, his work spans across Europe and the US, from Lisbon to Paris, LA to Madrid, Rome to New York, Brussels or Berlin. He has also exhibited work at prestigious events as Paris Design Week, Lisbon Design Week or Edit Napoli.
Vasco’s work combines the geometric precision of architecture, the craftsmanship of woodworking, and the spirit of sport.
Lisbon Design Week 2025 — 2026
