Lisbon Design Week has become a vital platform for emerging Portuguese designers, providing visibility and opportunities that bridge local craftsmanship with international recognition. Last year's "Young Design Generation" exhibition at Roca Gallery—born from an open call—showcased innovative work from designers under 35. Alongside monthly networking events at LACS Santos, these initiatives demonstrate how Lisbon Design Week continues to amplify new voices in the design community.
These emerging creators are distinguished by their passion for raw materials, cultural heritage, and Portuguese craftsmanship tradition, often transforming personal interests into professional practice. Many operate from individual or collective studios, creating furniture and installations that tell stories, regardless of whether they come from traditional art backgrounds or are self-taught.
You’ll find their stories in our ‘New Design Generation Instagram Series’, where we present the career trajectories and inspiration behind the works of designers as diverse as Silvia Matias, creative director and designer of our Lisbon Design Week 2024 poster, to Fabio Teixeria, a maker of furniture and decorative pieces working with marble, to Mariana Ralo, a fiber artist making tapestries with a contemporary twist.
How would you describe the design sector today in Portugal?
The design sector is growing, keeping pace with the Portuguese economy. This growth goes beyond designing to industry and services and is connected to the Maker movement, which blends Portugal's cultural and craft heritage with a strong connection to nature. Another indicator of design growth is the highly attractive educational offering, which draws international students and fosters a multicultural environment in both academic institutions and cultural collectives.
What challenges do young designers face today?
I think the challenges they face are no different from those of my generation. The answer can be found in a wonderful book—Letters to a Young Designer (Humberto Campana and Fernando Campana, 2017, Alta Books)—where Brazilian designers advise aspiring designers:
"…It doesn't matter where you come from, what social class you belong to, what you like or dislike. What matters is choosing a path and persisting in it, with the willingness to face tough times, setbacks, and all kinds of difficulties. Follow your essence, even if, at that moment, it does not align with prevailing thought or market trends. Remember that the world is highly dynamic and constantly changing; therefore, something that does not resonate today may do so tomorrow. Keep this in mind, go after it, and create your own opportunities."
What are the hardest parts of designing a new product or service?
First and foremost, it is difficult to create something that has never been done before, and design is often called upon to address situations for which there are no existing answers or references. Additionally, it is also challenging to conceive a system that takes into account a large number of variables while ensuring a balanced outcome—avoiding both going nowhere and surpassing everything and everyone.
This is why many projects fail in integration. It is necessary to design not only the product or service itself but also how it will integrate into a larger ecosystem. Success will depend on the long-term cost-benefit that the product or service represents (or is perceived to represent), first for that ecosystem and then for its users.
What would be your advice to a young designer starting their career in Lisbon?
Start early, and it doesn't matter where. Always be creating (preferably with friends), experiment a lot, and learn from everyone.
In the last 20 years, how have the motivations and objectives of young graduates evolved, and how have career paths for experienced designers shifted?
I can't give a direct answer—too much has happened—but I can suggest a pattern of change. I believe there has been a continuous increase in pressure for performance in design. The downside of this trajectory is that we've lost sight of how much time is an ally of success in design—both operational time (to experiment, create, fail, rest, discuss, read, etc.) and meaningful time (which provides enough distance to evaluate one's work properly).
Today, there is significantly less time available to become a designer. Consider that design courses used to last five years, but with the Bologna Process adaptation in 2008, they were reduced to three. As a result, everything is now faster and more fleeting for younger generations.
There is also less time to think and do design. The idea that "time is money" remains unproven, so perhaps the current generation should be cautious about relying too much on "Black Box" design processes with self-validating results. Much of the influence and positive change that previous generations of designers achieved came precisely from their resilience against performance pressure. They treated design as a form of personal expression, valued the process, aligned their outcomes with their principles, and were prepared to embrace time both for success and failure.
As Lisbon Design Week continues its commitment to nurturing emerging talent, this mission expanded in 2025 with a new Open Call in partnership with design museum MUDE. This initiative selected 20 pieces for a special Capsule Collection exhibited at MUDE until July 27, 2025.
As Ana Lia Santos' insights remind us, beyond skills and market trends, success in design requires persistence, experimentation, and the courage to follow one's unique vision.
For last year’s Roca exhibition, Ana Lia Santos and Justine Mūrniece (architect) designed a unique table display challenging all display structure norms - a custom-made display (pictured above), with adjustable configurations to enable it to be positioned differently for diverse purposes. It effectively and creatively presented each exhibition piece, extending the space given to each work and seamlessly guiding visitors through the gallery.
Through its ongoing commitment to nurturing the Young Design Generation, Lisbon Design Week isn't just showcasing new work—it's helping build that "bigger table" where future Portuguese design can flourish.