Design collective Luso has filled a townhouse in Lisbon with works by emerging Portuguese designers and makers to demonstrate how collectible design can coexist with everyday living.
The Collector’s Residence was furnished and styled by The Modern Spaces to showcase its Alba development—a former warehouse in the city’s Marvila neighbourhood that the real estate company has transformed into a collection of five townhouses. The Modern Spaces collaborated with Luso to curate a selection of pieces that highlight some of the key qualities of the residence, which was designed by local architecture practice Quiet Studios.
“We wanted to create something that felt more personal than an exhibition, more of a lived-in space where contemporary Portuguese design could be experienced and not just observed,” said The Modern Spaces founders, Mathilde Villette and Rafael Alves.
Daylight pouring in through the loft’s double-height windows highlighted the textured surfaces of items such as AB + AC Architects’ forged iron Alma Mater candle holder and an acacia wood lounge chair made by Luso founders Natacha Grzeskiewicz and Tomàs Fernandes under their design studio, Further Ther.
French designer Paul Boucher’s monumental table, sculpted from blackened Douglas fir, provided an anchoring presence in the main living area. It was accompanied by several of Grzeskiewicz’s stoneware vases, enhancing the space’s artisanal vibe.
The presentation also included innovative lighting pieces such as Macheia’s floor lamp, featuring an experimental algae-based shade, alongside a minimalist polished-steel lamp by Violaine D’Harcourt.
Softer textures were introduced through woven rugs and a room divider by Sofia De Francesco, which features panels made from recycled paper pulp. These elements contrasted beautifully with the metallic surfaces of furniture pieces by Thayra Correia and Zoé Wolker’s faceted Ame pouffe.
The setting in Marvila, a former industrial district, provided an appropriate backdrop for the collectible objects, furniture, and lighting from emerging Portuguese designers—carefully chosen to complement the townhouse’s raw yet refined character.
“The idea behind the Collector’s Residence was to blur the line between gallery and home, allowing each piece to exist in dialogue with real architecture and daily life,” said Grzeskiewicz and Fernandes. “It delved into the concept of open-ended placements among the rooms, as if a figurative collector had taken over the residence.”
Villette and Alves told Dezeen that Lisbon’s property market has recently begun to stabilise after years of rapid growth following the launch of Portugal’s Golden Visa programme. However, there remains an ongoing tension between the growth of luxury developments and the need to maintain affordability and access for long-time residents.
“Our approach with this project was to collaborate with local talents who use Portuguese materials and highlight design that is rooted in Lisbon’s identity, hoping to contribute to a conversation about growth that remains thoughtful and sustainable,” the developers explained.
Other local initiatives aimed at supporting emerging Portuguese design include Lisbon Design Week and the collectible design fair Lisbon by Design, both of which launched within the last five years.
Photography by Ines Silva captures the essence and details of this unique project, bringing the Collector’s Residence vividly to life.
https://www.dezeen.com/2025/11/02/the-collectors-residence-luso-the-modern-spaces/