Uncovering The Design Ateliers of Ajuda

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From riverside palaces and contemporary museums to quiet ateliers and wild gardens, this neighborhood invites you to slow down, look closer, and engage deeply with the creative process. Still one of Lisbon's undiscovered gems, Ajuda retains the feeling of an authentic Portuguese bairro – lived-in, local, and full of quiet charm.

During Lisbon Design Week 2025, from May 28 to June 1, we offer a unique opportunity for visitors to explore a diverse range of ateliers, studios, and workshops in Ajuda, extending into its neighbouring areas - Belem and Restelo.

From Sebastião Lobo’s jewel-like cutlery, to Carlos Manuel Gonçalves’s fantastical ceramic creatures to Maria Pratas’ textile sculptures, the range of mediums that you can discover is as diverse as the personalities and aesthetics of the designers on our itinerary.

This itinerary is a 1 hour walking tour (not including the various stops). Take the opportunity to take this walking tour through Ajuda and Restelo, following the order below, and visit this inspiring neighbourhood of ateliers during Lisbon Design Week.

Our friends at Morgado do Quintão, natural wine producers known for their stunning bottle art and designs, joined us on this journey behind the scenes of Ajuda’s creative community, sharing with us their bottles of wine for the conversations with our Ajuda makers.

Morgado do Quintão will be back in the neighbourhood during LDW25, so take a look at the LDW25 agenda for their weekend experience.

A unique studio conceived by two creative minds—a cutlery designer, Sebastião Lobo, and a carpenter, Kylie Marie—united by their passion for solving creative challenges.

Cutlery designer Sebastião Lobo is an emerging Portuguese jeweler and conceptual artist renowned for his unique aesthetic and exceptional craftsmanship. His work blends precision with a surreal sense of wilderness, creating intricate pieces that tell powerful narratives through form and texture.

Kylie Marie is a multifaceted artist, born in South Africa, raised in Portugal, and currently based in Lisbon. Her work explores the harmony between tradition and innovation. She blends color, form, movement, and texture to create pieces that bridge past and future. As an emerging artist, she is searching for the balance between functionality and expression.

Click here to find out more about the studio and what they will be showcasing at LDW25.

The works in Martinho Pita’s atelier blends tradition and innovation, fostering a dialogue between artisanal techniques and contemporary design.

Born and based in Lisbon, Martinho started his career in architecture, working with prominent European architecture studios, including MVRDV in Rotterdam and Aires Mateus in Portugal.

Driven by an ongoing search for creative reinvention, he established Martinho Pita Studio, where he combines interior design, product development, and architecture with a commitment to bespoke craftsmanship. Through close collaboration with local makers, including a unique take on the craft of glass-blowing, his work is showcased in poetic, sculptural forms.

Click here to find out more about the studio and what he will be showcasing at LDW25.

Pareidólia Design is a ceramics brand founded by Tatiana Ferreira, dedicated to exploring form, texture, and storytelling through handcrafted pieces. Her studio serves as both a creative workspace and a showroom, where craftsmanship and design converge.

Rooted in a passion for handmade production, Pareidólia Design embraces experimentation and material exploration, creating unique ceramic pieces in earthy tones that balance functionality and artistic expression.

Click here to find out more about the studio and what they will be showcasing at LDW25.

Born in the Portuguese countryside, Carlos Manuel Gonçalves transforms childhood memories into vibrant ceramic worlds. Long before the internet, his imagination was his playground—populating his universe with fantastic creatures, whimsical monsters, and playful characters.

Drawing inspiration from rural life, farm animals, and the rich tapestry of his childhood imagination, Gonçalves brings to life exuberant ceramic pieces that blur the line between reality and fantasy.

Click here to find out more about the studio and what he will be showcasing at LDW25.

Founded by visual artist Jéssica Ilfu-Soi, this studio is a place where matter and spirit merge to create works that explore the connection between the body, nature, and the universe. Here, creation goes beyond the physical object, involving intuitive and exploratory processes that challenge traditional perceptions of sculpture.

The studio embraces various materials and techniques, with a strong focus on clay, used to craft large-scale pieces that echo the organicity of landscapes and the ancestral essence of forms. Each sculpture emerges through a manual and meditative process, reflecting themes such as metamorphosis, erosion, expansion, and intuition.

Click here to find out more about the studio and what she will be showcasing at LDW25.

This unique ceramic collective brings together three distinctive studios, each celebrating ceramic craft through a different lens.

studio k. (Kiki Voortman) specializes in finely crafted porcelain pieces, from elegant tableware to sculptural lamps and wall objects, highlighting the raw beauty of unglazed surfaces.

Malga Ceramic Design (Mariana Filipe) reinterprets traditional Alentejo pottery, creating essential everyday objects with a focus on small-scale production and pure forms.

A La Pata (Diana Medina) invites tactile exploration of clay through interactive workshops and collections that honor the intimate connection between artisan and material.

Click here to find out more about the studio and what they will be showcasing at LDW25.

Maria’s studio is a space where textile fiber sculpture takes shape through the technique of spiral basketry, exploring textures inspired by the marks left by memories.

As a textile sculptor, Maria’s mastery lies in translating her experiences into tangible forms, deftly blending raw materials to encapsulate the intricate details, elements, textures, and memories of cherished places. Drawing from the wisdom of ancient craftsmen, Maria skillfully merges diverse raw materials into narrative-rich objects. Undeterred by the constraints of time, she meticulously sculpts thread by thread, keeping textile fibers within constant reach.

Click here to find out more about the studio and what she will be showcasing at LDW25.

Sofia Albuquerque is a ceramic artist who transforms clay into a profound meditation on the natural world. Her work emerges from a deep, intimate connection with the environment, particularly the intricate ecosystems of forests and the subtle rhythms of the earth. As a Forest Bathing guide, Albuquerque brings a unique perspective to her artistic practice, seeing ceramics as more than a craft—but as a form of storytelling and environmental dialogue.

Each piece in her collection is a carefully crafted exploration of texture, form, and organic imperfection. Inspired by the raw materials and subtle nuances of natural landscapes, Albuquerque creates ceramics that seem to breathe with the essence of their origins. Her approach is deliberately slow and contemplative, embracing simplicity and celebrating the inherent beauty of natural forms.

Click here to find out more about the studio and what she will be showcasing at LDW25.

Beyond Ajuda, you can use the search functionality on our website to explore the programming in your neighborhood of choice here.