Dutch Design Week: Made Out Portugal #4

One of our highlights at Dutch Design Week 2010 was Made Out Portugal #1, and so logically we were keen to see how the project had developed over the past 12 months.

At the most obvious level, in comparison to their first show the project has expanded and now includes Portuguese designers who aren’t based in Holland.

Which was of course one of the aims of the project, to create a network of exiled Portuguese designers. And so in that sense the project certainly appears to be moving in the correct direction.

In addition one could also see their stand inside the Klokgebouw, one of the major Dutch Design Week exhibition spaces, as a move up from last years show in the more informal space at Smalle Haven.

Although if we’re honest we would have preferred if they had continued with their “Exhibition in a Van” concept from DMY Berlin. But sometimes one must think about how one best reaches the target audience.

Amongst the works on display, what really impressed us was seeing the first cork products.

As a country Portugal might have no money. But is does have cork.

And if the Portuguese farmers are more sensible than the Portuguese bankers, it will always have cork.
And so if the country’s young designers can help the cork producers discover new markets, then they can do their bit to help correcting the country’s economy.

Which is of course one of the jobs of product designers.

Among the works on display Corkmatters Lamp by Tiago Sá da Costa was the one that we think has the best chance to establish itself on the market.

Elsewhere it was good to see a new development of the Dock Lamp by Manuel Amaral Netto. The Desk Dock Lamp is based on the same principle as the floor version, but for us makes a little more sense in the desk version.

Turning off the lamp at the end of the day becoming a truly satisfying process. Much more definitive than simply pushing a switch. Which is the sort of interaction that appeals to us.

Bruno Carvalho sadly hadn’t extended his site specific furniture collection to include the Klokgebouw, but his Tempelhof Lamp remains a monumental piece of work, and his Magic Carpet Lamp, although somewhat older is still a truly fresh piece of work which it was a real joy to see.

It is conceivable that in the future life will be become even harder for young designers than it currently is.

As such we are all in favour of designers joining together to form loose platforms from which to both promote their work and build networks from which all can benefit.

Especially those designers from countries that are not necessarily on most people’s radars.

Which is of course also a reason why we were so glad to see Look to Norway at Designers’ Open.

And why we will continue to follow the development of Made Out Portugal.

More details can be found at www.madeoutportugal.com