Meet the Makers behind the 2nd LDW Edit

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Lisbon Design Week has always been about the people behind design: the designers, artists, craftspeople and makers whose ideas and skills transform materials into objects with meaning.

This is the spirit behind The LDW Edit, our curated cultural platform celebrating contemporary design and craftsmanship in Portugal. Every eight weeks, a new selection brings together collectible pieces chosen from our creative community, offering different perspectives on the people, practices and ideas shaping design today.

For our second edition, we bring together new distinctive pieces that explore the relationship between material, craftsmanship and contemporary expression. From sculptural ceramics and furniture rooted in traditional making techniques to textile works that reinterpret natural materials, each piece reflects a unique approach to design and the possibilities of making. Together, they highlight the diversity of creative practices in Portugal and the value of looking at familiar materials in new ways.

Let us introduce the makers behind our second selection.

Diogo Amaro is a Portuguese architect, designer and cabinetmaker whose practice brings together architectural thinking and traditional woodworking techniques. After several years working in architecture, he trained under master cabinetmakers at FRESS in Lisbon, specialising in intricate joinery, carving and marquetry. His continued exploration of traditional making has taken him to international workshops and collaborations, including a programme at Domaine de Boisbuchet with Japanese master carpenter Takami Kawai and designer Wataru Kumanu. In 2024, he presented his debut collection, CHICAGO, during Lisbon Design Week, followed by the launch of his MATERIA collection at Banema Studio in 2025.

Part of MATERIA, the MA.t ST2 stool / side table draws inspiration from the traditional craft of barrel making and the atmosphere of an old cooper’s workshop south of Porto. Developed as a tribute to a gradually disappearing craft, the collection reinterprets its material heritage through contemporary forms and locally sourced materials. Combining French oak and stained cork, the MA.t ST2 brings together contrasting textures in a versatile piece that can function as either a stool or a side table. Finished by hand with oils and waxes, it reflects Diogo’s interest in the relationship between material, technique and the enduring value of traditional craftsmanship.

Discover MA.t ST2 stool / side table in The LDW Edit →

Born in Brittany and now based in Portugal, Alan Louis is a self-taught artist and designer whose practice brings together art, design and craftsmanship. Shaped by a life and career that took him beyond conventional artistic training, his work explores the expressive possibilities of materials and the relationship between form and object. In his workshops in Ribatejo, he creates distinctive pieces in chamotte stoneware, often incorporating other materials such as wood, metal and glass.

The Narciso chess set reflects this approach, transforming a familiar board game into a sculptural composition. Entirely handcrafted in chamotte stoneware, its individual pieces combine expressive silhouettes with richly textured surfaces. Contrasting black and off-white tones create a striking visual dialogue across the board, while ornamental details give the set a strong decorative presence, even when not in use. Produced in a limited edition of just five pieces, each set is individually numbered and signed. Narciso celebrates the possibilities of ceramic craftsmanship while exploring the growing intersection between collectible design, art and everyday objects.

Discover Narciso Chess Set in The LDW Edit →

Dutch interior architect and textile artist Rian van Dijk works between the Netherlands and Portugal. With more than three decades of experience in interior architecture, her practice has increasingly turned towards natural materials, traditional techniques and their potential within contemporary art and design. Through her ongoing project Wool, a Forgotten Material, she investigates the artistic and architectural possibilities of locally sourced sheep wool, a resource that has lost much of its economic value and is often discarded. Working with wet and needle felting techniques, she creates sculptural textile works inspired by landscapes, organic forms and the relationship between nature and the built environment.

ILHA translates the rugged contours of an imagined island into a sculptural landscape made from natural sheep wool. Through contrasting tones, flowing fibres and an irregular outline, the work evokes the shifting forms of mountains, winding paths and eroded terrain. Created through wet felting, different fibres, textures and colours come together to form an organic composition, with variations in height and surface creating a sense of depth and movement. Presented during Lisbon Design Week 2026 as part of Wool, a Forgotten Material at Espaço D’ALTE, ILHA highlights the expressive potential of an undervalued local material, bringing together landscape, craftsmanship and contemporary textile art.

Discover ILHA in The LDW Edit →

Founded by Natasza Grzeskiewicz and Tomás Fernandes, FURTHER THER is a design studio driven by material exploration and the belief that making begins with curiosity. Working primarily with clay and wood, the studio creates bespoke and limited-edition pieces that explore the relationship between material, form and craftsmanship. Guided by the philosophy “we are what we explore”, its practice embraces experimentation while preserving the natural qualities and distinctive character of each material.

The Rill Jug reflects this approach through a process that allows the behaviour of clay to shape the final object. When working with very wet clay, its natural elasticity creates opportunities for spontaneous movement and unexpected forms. Rather than imposing a predetermined outcome, the makers respond to the material as it stretches and shifts, allowing the making process to guide the result. Crafted in a new red clay, the jug features an organic body and an expressive, fluid handle that gives the vessel its distinctive sculptural character.

Produced as a special edition of 12 individually signed pieces, Rill celebrates the unpredictability of making and the creative possibilities that emerge when materials lead the way.

Discover Rill Jug Special Edition in The LDW Edit →

Wesley Sacardi is an artist and designer based in the Algarve, whose practice explores the relationship between traditional craftsmanship, reclaimed materials and contemporary design. Describing himself as a lifelong learner, he is driven by curiosity, creative freedom and a passion for sharing knowledge. With over ten years of experience in design and the making of solid wood furniture and decorative objects, he explores the possibilities of raw materials, drawing inspiration from nature, architecture and different aesthetic influences, including Nordic design, wabi-sabi and rustic craftsmanship.

His work is also connected to the preservation and reinterpretation of traditional crafts, particularly through his involvement with Loulé Criativo, a platform dedicated to revitalising local craftsmanship and safeguarding regional techniques by bringing artisans, designers and artists into dialogue. He is also a selected artist of the Homo Faber Guide.

Part of his ongoing Descartes Series: Beyond the Raw Material, the Touch Me bench transforms reclaimed wood into a unique piece of furniture, exploring the expressive possibilities of the material while challenging conventional ideas of form and function. Born from the discomfort of seeing wood discarded, the series gives new purpose to materials sourced from different places, preserving their irregularities, textures and individual histories. Rather than concealing the natural qualities of the wood, Sacardi allows them to guide the creative process, finding a balance between material spontaneity and considered design.

Touch Me invites a direct, tactile experience of the material. Its varied surfaces encourage the hands to follow different textures and discover the character of the wood, transforming the simple act of sitting into a moment of pause and connection. As with other pieces in the series, its unconventional form initially challenges our expectations of functionality, inviting us to reconsider what a bench can be before experiencing it as a place to sit or rest. More than a functional object, it is an invitation to engage with material, form and the everyday experience of use.

Discover "Touch me" bench in The LDW Edit →

The second LDW Edit continues to explore not only what is being made, but who is making it, how it comes to life and the thinking behind each piece.

It also extends an important part of Lisbon Design Week beyond the annual event. Many extraordinary objects and ideas emerge during LDW, through exhibitions, studios and special commissions. The LDW Edit gives selected works and, importantly, the creative practices behind them another moment of visibility and a way of reaching new audiences.

Every eight weeks, the perspective changes. A different voice from our community of design experts selects the next Edit, bringing forward new makers, materials and stories. Each selection offers a fresh way of looking at contemporary design in Portugal and the people shaping it.

Because collecting contemporary design can begin with an object. But very often, what we ultimately collect is a piece of someone's story, research and way of seeing the world.

Explore the second selection on The LDW Edit →