with Iany Gayo and Lucrezia Papillo
of MACHEIA
"This leads to a different awareness and sensibility to how everything is interconnected."
Macheia is a term that refers to a measurement of quantity equivalent to one’s hand. The studio was created in 2020 by Italian-German product designer Lucrezia Papillo and Mozambican-Portuguese architect Iany Gayo. After graduating from their respective masters at the Bauhaus University Weimar (DE) and Instituto Superior Técnico (PT), they established their practice in Lisbon. With an intentional focus on natural fibers, ancient techniques and their continuity, MACHEIA’s work ranges from storytelling-objects and collaborative installations to private commissions.
Recently, they’ve attended both Paris Design Week and Vienna Design Week to promote their most recent collection, Bulrush – that combines the natural fiber bulrush with galvanized iron, raising a renewed interest in both materials through contrast. Whether in reshaping weaving processes or by designing new outcomes, their constant drive is to challenge new perspectives – bringing to the forefront an ancient appreciation and connection to our surroundings.
MACHEIA is a project about knowledge, people and contrast. How did this project come about and what are you exploring through it?
L: When Iany and I met for the first time I was working on my master thesis with a focus on craft and design. I came to Lisbon to deepen my research on the local craft through an internship at the studio of Passa ao Futuro, which at that time organized a beautiful 3-week workshop where local artisans and selected architects / designers / artists met and shared on ancient techniques and design. Iany was one of the architects.
I: At the time we shared a common interest in one of the techniques, the one we currently work closely with, and started learning it together with the artisan. Soon after that covid started and pushed us to rethink a lot of things and create MACHEIA.
How did the name MACHEIA come about?
L: Macheia is a term that refers to a measurement of quantity equivalent to one’s hand and the word that artisan Manuel Ferreira would tell us when we would go visit him: “Take a handful (macheia) of bunho and let’s start to work”.
"Take a handful (macheia) of bunho and let’s start to work.”
Manuel Ferreira
As a duo, how do you describe how your approach towards the project?
I: We are a design studio that focuses on natural fibers. As such, we see ourselves navigating into the various themes it encapsulates – from transforming natural fibers into everyday pieces, to researching the origin of ancient techniques and the connection to its environment or the social relationships within crafts and craftspeople. Our practice is molded by our fundamental objective – inviting a closer appreciation of nature and know-how through crafts. In a way, whatever we put out, has that intent.
"Our practice is molded by our fundamental objective - inviting a closer appreciation of nature and know-how through crafts."
Iany Gayo
How would you describe the relationship between research and production in your work?
I: If we have to think of how we’ve operated until now, we can say that the production, focusing now on our recently released Bulrush Collection, ended up being a byproduct of an extensive research on Bulrush and its ecosystem. The driving force was to research, get to know the material and be open to the possibilities it could open us.
L: To really get an understanding of something, a fundamental step is to get in touch with its origin. So, yes, research is an important aspect in our work, which provides us with learnings, questioning and inspiration to portray a material or a technique in new ways.
"The driving force was to research, get to know the material and be open to the possibilities it could open us."
Lucrezia Papillo
You’ve mentioned how working with this natural material can reconnect us with our natural environment. How would you say that happens?
L: Taking the example of Bulrush, the first material we started working with, not only brought us close to its characteristics but to the whole ecosystem around it, responsible for its growth, harvesting and storage conditions. You start looking at the weather taking into account the growth of the plant while developing the capacity of “reading” its qualities. This leads to a different awareness and sensibility to how everything is interconnected.
"This leads to a different awareness and sensibility to how everything is interconnected."
Lucrezia Papillo
Are you planning to explore different crafts in the future?
I: Definitely! And soon. We are ready to start exploring a different ecosystem. Understand what new or similar questions it may raise.
A Practice Proposition
by Iany and Lucrezia of MACHEIA
– Tracing Origins –
Trace back the history of your 3 favorite objects and list which people, memories, places, elements you encounter.
Invite this practice to every new object you add to your life and notice if there are patterns you can recognize.