Uncommon woods
Would wood be a fruit?
Following the quest for Uncommon Fruits, this workshop approaches another yield coming from fruit trees: wood. How do we use timber in a non-predatory manner? Can the specificities embodied in the irregular growth of a branch inform the process of shaping artifacts? And how do we pass on the knowledge held by working hands?
In this 3 day workshop, Diogo Amaro and Madalena Vidigal will introduce the basics of wood carving, from material collection and processing to design and tool maintenance. Participants will engage in a conversation with material in order to make small vessels – spoons, cups and bowls – that will act as mediators in the tastings of the recipes developed for Uncommon Fruits.
Diogo Amaro is an architect and cabinetmaker based in Porto. After several years working in architecture, he spent two years learning from the master cabinetmakers at FRESS, absorbing all the knowledge they had to transmit. In 2022, he participated in the Homofaber event in Venice and attended a workshop with Japanese master carpenter Takami Kawai and designer Wataru Kumanu at Domaine de Boisbuchet in France. He is currently developing MATERIA pieces.
Madalena Vidigal is an architect and independent researcher working across curation, publishing, and design. Her work expands the dialogue between research and practice, valuing legacy, communality, and sufficiency. With a Master at FAUP and an exchange at the Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio, she has collaborated with several architectural studios while deepening her knowledge of ecological building techniques through hands-on experiences in Portugal and Morocco.
To participate to the workshop please write to: uncommonfruits@gmail.com
There are still some spots available!
Unfortunately this time we cannot help with housing and hosting participants because all the places we have are super full!
Day 1 – Thursday 17.04
Morning: Collecting materials in the woodland. Processing pieces into workable sizes.
Afternoon: Introduction to the tools for carving and how to handle them safely. Sharpening and setup tools for work. Principles for designing artifacts in wood.
Day 2 – Friday 18.04
Morning: Designing with materials and tools I: Gauges and hammers.
Afternoon: Carving and finishing.
Day 3 – Saturday 19.04
Morning: Designing with materials and tools II: Hook knives.
Afternoon: Carving and finishing.
Uncommon Woods is part of the Uncommon Fruits project, financed by the European Union under the Small Project Fund GO! 2025 of the Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia Program 2021-2027, managed by the EGTC GO.
Diogo Amaro and Madalena Vidigal will be in Topolò for a residency thanks to the Culture Moves Europe fund, funded by the European Union.
Photos by Francisco Ascensão.