The Design Philosophy
This year's LDW poster pays tribute to the designer's fundamental role as a maker, drawing inspiration from Portugal's rich tradition of transforming raw materials into creative expressions. Berga's design ingeniously showcases the transformation of materials in all design processes, incorporating textures from stone, wood, and wood joints as distinctive graphical elements.
"The poster is a homage to the design process and the transformation of raw materials," explains Berga. "In a world where everything moves quickly, it's important to highlight the journey behind the work and the human and natural elements involved."
Meet the Designer
Bernardo Berga brings a truly international perspective to his work, dividing his time between Lisbon, Portugal and Brussels, Belgium. His multidisciplinary practice spans publication and book design, branding, web design, typography, graphics, and animation. His impressive portfolio includes collaborations with renowned institutions such as Nottingham Contemporary, S.M.A.K., Kingston School of Arts, ETH Zurich, HISK Belgium, and ERG Media.
Inside the Creative Mind: A Conversation with Bernardo Berga
We sat down with Bernardo to explore his creative process and the inspiration behind the LDW25 poster.
What do you believe are the key elements that all great posters share?
The most important element that all eye-catching posters share is great storytelling. A great poster tells an entire story through one image, something that is not always easy to achieve. I also think a great poster, no matter its subject matter, intrigues the viewer somehow, making them curious to find out more about its message.
How do you know when your design is complete?
Is a design ever fully finished? I believe that a design is only complete when it is out in the world, when it does not belong to the designer anymore.
How would you describe your design language and what influences have shaped it?
My design language is inspired by other visual practices such as architecture and visual arts but is at the same time very methodical and structured. It always starts with a complex system and concept that I then develop and refine to become more digestible and readable while maintaining different layers.
For a large part of my professional life, I worked on books, which has deeply influenced how I approach typography, imagery, and storytelling. In recent years, I've been exploring ways to deconstruct the more structured, classical approach that editorial design often imposes. For example, something I would never have considered before is playing with the idea of legibility—using a text color that's very close to the background, which brings the typography closer to a textured visual element rather than a purely readable one.
What effect were you trying to achieve with the Lisbon Design Week poster?
The intention was to combine typography, vectors, and imagery as an invitation for the audience to appreciate the craftsmanship and thought behind design. I wanted to create something that honors Portugal's craft traditions while speaking the language of contemporary design.
How did you address the challenge of combining traditional craft with modern design in this project?
The poster is a homage to the design process and the transformation of raw materials. In a world where everything moves quickly, it is important to highlight the journey behind the work and the human and natural elements involved. I approached this by incorporating textures and patterns inspired by traditional Portuguese crafts but executing them through a contemporary lens.
The LDW25 poster perfectly embodies the spirit of this year's event—a celebration of the transformative power of design and the beautiful intersection of tradition and innovation that makes Lisbon such a vibrant design capital.
