◆ What inspired you to create Lisbon Design Week, and how did the idea first come to life?

I’ve organized numerous arts and culture events across London through my company, From My City. My work often took me into the streets – I’m fascinated by how cities function and come to life. Over the years, I’ve also had the opportunity to work in several major capitals, including New York, London, Brussels, and Warsaw. One day, while walking through Santos, I noticed some stickers that read “Santos Design District.” My curiosity was instantly sparked. With the help of a young designer, I began looking into who had founded this initiative.

Through my research and conversations with designers from different generations, many of whom expressed frustration about the lack of recognition for their work – I became even more interested in the project and the need to find a way to increase the visibility of so many talents. Eventually, one of the founders and I discussed the idea of reviving the initiative, but then the pandemic hit, and everything was put on hold. Still, the vision stayed with me: I imagined people wandering through Lisbon’s streets, discovering design venues over several days — much like what happens during Clerkenwell Design Week in London. London was, in fact, my inspiration for creating a vibrant festival filled with networking, creativity, and opportunities for collaboration.

◆ If you had to describe Lisbon Design Week in just three words, what would they be?

Creation, empowering, community.

◆ Having lived in several cities around the world, what makes Lisbon’s creative energy unique?

Lisbon’s creative energy is truly thriving, it’s flourishing, and there’s a growing sense that a genuine community has emerged, becoming more and more confident and aware that we are stronger when we come together. The city vibe also reminds me of New York in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, when newcomers from around the world brought their experiences and skills, sharing them with the local community to create a fascinating cultural mix.

◆ How do you approach the curation of participants and venues across the city?

We strive to maintain an inclusive approach while remaining highly selective about the quality of the projects we showcase. We share our program ideas with our advisory board, composed of 11 distinguished figures from the design and architecture sectors. As a citywide event, we also need to ensure sufficient activation across different areas of the city, which can be challenging given that the venues are relatively spread out. We also need to maintain the right balance between the categories of participating venues, including studios, galleries, pop-ups, stores, and cultural institutions.