Thursday, August 18, 2011

CLIP OF THE DAY: Handmade Heritage






















Today's CLIP is close to my heart. Meet Candida Wigan the architect who is giving aclaimmed Portuguese tiles a new life. This talented starlet and I go way back, from a tight friendship between our grandmothers to a crossed life between 2 continentes, we managed to grow together in our own parallel universe throughout the years. We are at first sight essentially different, but having shared playgrounds in Brazil, the same school and class in Portugal, many years in London as students, our friendship made us inevitably learn from each other and last year we both decided to embarc on yet a new adventure and create our own businesses: Connect was born and so was WigWork. After getting her DipArch, BA Hons in Architecture, a BA Hons Interior and Spatial Design, a BTEC Textile and having worked for Souto Moura Architects in Porto and Adjaye Associates both in London and New York, Candida specialized on tile design focusing on its relationship with textures and giving a whole different meaning to the classic (almost lost in time) hictorical Portuguese tiles. It all started while  working at Adjaye Associates in New York, Cadida was asked to find tiles to clad an entire facade, an ambitious project that made her realize (after intense research) that there wasn't much out there. With that in mind and a determination to keep alive a tradition from her native Portugal she developed her first collection (textiles imprinted on clay) early this year and since her debut requests for her bespoke designs have been on demand growing to a larger audience that made Candida open her own office in London. CLIP it: her 2011 collection, its fascinating process on how it is made and make sure to order with enough time some of the most clever classic designs you will see around....

3 comments:

  1. Really interesting Ines, like your friend's work

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  2. Parabens Candida, adorei!!

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  3. Bravo Candy!!!!
    Very good description of Candida's work Inêz! Great blog.
    Kisses to both
    MC

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