Manuel Aires Mateus: Sculptural Minimalism & The Art of Void

Manuel Aires Mateus: The Architecture of Subtraction

Born in Lisbon in 1963, Manuel Aires Mateus is a leading figure in contemporary European architecture. Together with his brother Francisco, he founded Aires Mateus & Associados, a studio renowned for its "poetic minimalism" and rigorous research into space. His work is characterized by the concept of "subtraction"—carving out voids from solid masses to create pure, sculptural forms that capture light and define space.

The When Objects Work Collaboration

In his collaboration with When Objects Work, Aires Mateus translates this architectural language into the domestic scale. His signature piece, the Centerpiece Bowl, is not just a container but a study in geometry. Often crafted from noble materials like Matte Carrara Marble, the design plays with the contrast between the heavy, solid stone and the delicate, carved-out void that holds the object's function.

A Sculpture for the Table

These pieces invoke the same sensory experience as his buildings: a sense of serenity, timelessness, and the "art of the unique". Whether used as a functional vessel or displayed as a standalone sculpture, an Aires Mateus object brings the essence of Portuguese modernism into the home.

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