Presented at Lisbon Design Week 2026, “MINE(ral)” brought together the Portuguese agency Studio Gameiro, the Belgian gallery ST VINCENTS and the Dutch designer Nick Valentijn around a copper collection where the material, in its rawest state, became the starting point for creation.
Before taking the form of an object, copper already carries a story within it. It is this rarely perceptible narrative that Studio Gameiro explored with "MINE(ral)", a collection presented during Lisbon Design Week 2026 and conceived in collaboration with the Belgian gallery ST VINCENTS, founded by Henri Delbarre and Geraldine Jackman, and the Dutch designer Nick Valentijn.
Far from simply showcasing furniture, the project invited us to reconsider the objects that surround us. Before being designed, manufactured, and integrated into our homes, they originate from materials whose existence is far more ancient. Born deep within the earth, these materials undergo a long process of extraction and transformation before reaching the hands of designers. With "MINE(ral)," this journey became the true subject of the project, offering a sensitive interpretation of matter and its narrative power.
Presented in the Studio Gameiro gallery, the collection comprised four exclusive pieces crafted from copper. An armchair, a table, a lamp, and a wall sconce shared a unified design language, characterized by generous volumes, clean lines, and perfectly balanced proportions. No detail seemed superfluous. Each element found its equilibrium within a restrained geometry that allowed the material's inherent visual richness to take center stage. The objects evoked both contemporary furniture and true functional sculptures, capable of inhabiting a space simply by their presence.
This formal restraint was one of the project's greatest achievements. Rather than multiplying effects or technical displays, the three creators opted for simplicity. The forms remained essential, almost monolithic, sometimes reminiscent of rock fragments or miniature architectural structures. This aesthetic, both minimalist and profoundly expressive, allowed the copper to reveal its full character without ever becoming merely ornamental.
Metal thus occupied a central place in the perception of the works. Its warm reflections, oscillating between amber hues, deep browns, and naturally oxidized shades, gave each piece a singular identity. The surfaces seemed to evolve before the eye, as if time continued to work upon them. This living material rejected all uniformity and instead embraced its irregularities, making each creation a unique piece.
This approach owed much to the work of Nick Valentijn, whose research into the plastic qualities of copper informed the entire collection. The treatments applied to the metal never sought to conceal its nature, but rather to reveal its expressive possibilities. The resulting textures sometimes evoked mineral formations or mine walls, establishing a subtle link between the subterranean landscape from which the material originates and the objects destined to inhabit our living spaces.
The strength of "MINE(ral)" also lay in the complementarity of the three partners. For several years, Studio Gameiro has been developing a practice where design engages in a dialogue with heritage, craftsmanship, and natural resources. ST VINCENTS, for its part, has made a name for itself with presentations of contemporary furniture featuring architectural lines, where rigorous design is always accompanied by a deep sensitivity to materials. As for Nick Valentijn, he brings a more experimental dimension, fueled by a careful observation of the reactions and transformations of metal. This diversity of approaches gave rise to a remarkably coherent collection, where each partner seemed to enrich the other's perspective without ever seeking to dominate.
Beyond the objects themselves, "MINE(ral)" offered a broader reflection on contemporary design. At a time when questions of material provenance, sustainability, and craftsmanship are playing an increasingly important role in creation, the project served as a reminder that an object is never simply defined by its function or aesthetics. It carries within it an origin, a territory, a material, and a succession of actions that fully contribute to its identity. Copper no longer appeared as a mere transformed resource, but as the guiding thread of a story where time, nature, and creation remained intimately linked.
By choosing to place materials at the heart of the creative process, Studio Gameiro, ST VINCENTS, and Nick Valentijn have delivered far more than a furniture collection. In Lisbon, "MINE(ral)" aptly demonstrated that design can also be a way of telling the story of what usually remains invisible, giving materials a presence as strong as that of the forms they inspire.
“MINE(ral)”
Lisbon Design Week 2026
