Architect Tiago Patrício Rodrigues, Our Creative Director, was invited to be part of a discussion panel at the third edition of PORTUGAL HOME WEEK, taking place on the 16th of June, under the theme “DESIGNING THE HOUSE OF THE FUTURE”.

The obvious conclusion would be to say that the future of our homes is technological, but is that the only path? Isn´t this path lacking emotion, memories, and singularity if not complemented by adding something else?

This reflection led Tiago to interpret the signs of the present and they point to an alternative vision, in which the following concepts stand out:

WELLNESS, COMFORT, AESTHETICS, INDIVIDUALITY

THE UNIQUE, THE DIFFERENTIAL, THE SPECIAL

Regarding Portugal, he tells us that there is a strong current of change, enhanced by several circumstances but mostly by “…new winds and visions that come from abroad and gain expression throughout the country, in retail, industry, and mostly in real estate and interior design, reflecting more and more interest in finding the new, the original and the special”.

You talk about the relevance of individuality, of the unique and the special. I imagine that the work of artists, designers, and artisans is extremely relevant when we think of designing a space with these characteristics, isn’t it?

Yes, in Brazil they use the term DESIGN AUTORAL, which expresses the idea of the author and its importance in design thinking, the singularity of each project and the work itself, and its exclusivity.

It is mainly focused on the conceptual idea of creating a unique and special aesthetic that you can recognize as a formal language.

It is characterized by the introduction of a strong artistic and aesthetic incline when generating new ideas and special concepts, with a new vision, creating a distance from massification and creating consensual emotions.

This is the point that makes me believe that DESIGN AUTORAL is the answer to the house/space of the future, it is the EMOTION.

If we think about it, we can observe that the massification of concepts and products, in a totally globalized world, has been, in a subtle way, erasing individuality and taking away soul and emotion.

The creation of emotions will be the future, and in design, this is already happening! The demand for finding “emotional” and handmade pieces is increasing as well as for natural materials, for their uniqueness, their time, their history, and their singularities and flaws, but mostly for their soul. It’s not just a matter of fashion or environment but a social-cultural movement.