PODCAST: PORTUGAL MANUAL
LISBON DESIGN WEEK 2026 SPECIAL SEASON
De La Espada has been a major supporter of Lisbon Design Week since its first edition, and for 2026 we are the official sponsor of the special Lisbon Design Week season of the Portugal Manual podcast.
Throughout design week, Portugal Manual recorded a series of 11 episodes that bring visibility to the practices, processes, and people shaping the landscape of design and craftsmanship in Portugal today.
More than a one-off collaboration, our partnership stems from a shared way of thinking about design, production, and the networks that sustain them.
Listen to the special season below, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Please note: These episodes are conducted in Portuguese unless otherwise indicated.
EPISODE ONE
In the first episode of this special season, Portugal Manual founder Filipa Belo speaks with co-founder of De La Espada, Luis De Oliveira. They discuss creativity and risk, the need to continue experimenting even when a project is already established, and the role of design in valuing materials, crafts, and human labour.
They also address the relationship between craftsmanship and contemporary production, the challenges of accessibility, the importance of events like Lisbon Design Week, and collective responsibility in building a more sustainable creative ecosystem.
A conversation about vision, collaboration, and the future of Portuguese design.
EPISODE TWO
In the second episode, Guto Requena, Le Brimet, and Filipe Ventura speak with Filipa Belo about technology, AI, computational design, and the new territories of contemporary creation.
EPISODE THREE
In episode three, Filipa Belo is in conversation with Sam Baron, Joana Teixeira, Sebastian Filgueiras, and Tiago Ferreira discussing identity, heritage, creative direction, and building brand narratives.
EPISIDE FOUR
In the fourth episode, Filipa speaks with Izabela Depczyk, founder of Her Clique, about the democratisation of access to art, the role of cultural communities, the importance of representation, and creating bridges between artists, collectors, and new audiences.
This episode is conducted in English.
EPISIDE FIVE
In the fifth episode, Filipa Belo speaks with the curators of the 'Design Feito à Mão' exhibition presented at Aquivo Aires Mateus: Astrid Suzano, Vasco Águas, and André Matos. Together they explore the relationship between design and craftsmanship, the role of manual making in contemporary creation, and the growing appreciation for processes, materials, and production time.
EPISODE SIX
In the sixth episode, Filipa Belo speaks with Bárbara Coutinho, director of MUDE; Ana Lia Santos, head of Young Design Generation; and Inês Continelli, head of Atelier Daciano da Costa. Together they reflect on the importance of supporting new generations of designers, preserving the legacy of Portuguese design, and building bridges between academia, industry, and cultural institutions.
EPISODE SEVEN
In the seventh episode, Thayra Correia and Lia Raquel Marques from the collective Sotaque meet with Filipa Belo to discuss the decolonisation of design, the valuing of local knowledge, the relationship between Europe and Portuguese-speaking African countries, the role of cultural institutions, and the importance of creating spaces for representation for new generations of designers.
EPISODE EIGHT
In episode eight, Natasza Grzeskiewicz and Tomás Fernandes, founders of Luso Collective and Further Ther, meet with Filipa Belo to discuss their exhibition Integrity of Form. Together they explore the exhibition's curatorial process, the influence of a space as unique as the Basílica da Estrela, and the way the architecture, light, and historical weight of the site shaped the selection and presentation of the pieces.
EPISODE NINE
In episode nine, curator Felipa Almeida joins Filipa Belo to reflect on curatorial work as a practice of research, mediation, and community building. Together they explore themes including the relationship between art, craft, and design; the importance of creating contexts for artists and audiences to connect; and the challenges of making artisanal work more visible and sustainable.
EPISODE TEN
In episode ten, Filipa Belo is joined by founder of Barracão, Vasco Fragoso Mendes. With the exhibition “Premature Retrospective. Not There Yet” as a starting point, they reflect on the creative process as a space for experimentation, error, and discovery, and the importance of showing what normally remains invisible.
EPISODE ELEVEN
In the final episode of this special season, Filipa Belo is joined by Michele Fajtmann, founder of Lisbon Design Week, and Joana Astolfi, designer, architect, and artist.
Taking the latest edition of Lisbon Design Week and the debut of the Lisbon Design Week Lounge at ARCO Lisboa as their starting point, they review the festival's growth and reflect on the current state of Portuguese design, both at home and abroad.
They discuss the increasingly close relationship between design, art, and craftsmanship; the importance of collaborations; the impact of these events on the city; and the challenges of growing an independent project without losing its identity.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PORTUGAL MANUAL
In addition to their podcast, Portugal Manual supports Portuguese artisans through over 120 projects, from facilitating creative collaboration and business opportunities, to amplifying messaging, to encouraging public engagement with artisanal craft skills.
Learn more about their inspiring work in our Journal, where Portugal Manual founder Filipa Belo shares insights on what the organisation has achieved so far, and what is coming up next.
Top image by Pedro Sadio; Filipa portrait courtesy of Portugal Manual
