João Xará (1996, Oliveira de Azeméis) studied Interior and Spatial Design at Escola Superior de Artes e Design (Esad.cr) in Caldas da Rainha and at LUCA School of Arts in Brussels. Currently based in Caldas da Rainha, where he has established his practice, João has an MA in Product Design from Esad.cr and has participated in exhibitions and fairs such as Dutch Design Week, Maison & Objet, Lisbon Design Week and Messe Frankfurt. He has also participated in residencies such as RARA in the Azores, Oficina de Caldeiraria at Loulé Criativo, CAU in Cortém and the Lãnd project at Ecolã.
João’s work reflects an exploration of different materials and techniques, ranging from traditional crafts to industrial processes, often with a focus on local and autochthonous materials.
He has worked as a product designer at Vicara, assisted Belgian designer Maarten de Ceulaer in Brussels, and shares experiences with Eneida Lombe Tavares in the designer- craftsman relationship, making their collaboration fluid and relaxed.
Since 2020, João has collaborated with various brands and studios from different countries, including Australia, France, the United States, Switzerland and the UK, with a focus on sourcing production in ceramics, glass and woodworking in Portugal.
As a member of DOC - Associação Design Ofícios e Cultura, João contributes to the organisation of workshops, open studios, talks and exhibitions in Caldas da Rainha.
Since 2022, he has been working with Swiss designer Britta Pukall and collaborating on projects with Passa ao Futuro.
He has collaborated with brands such as MOR Design, Tasco Tableware, CorkUnits, Vicara, RARA, Gannon Munro and Conserveira de Lisboa.
In 2024, João co-founded the homeware and furniture brand Bora with Samuel Reis, Jorge Carreira and Eneida Tavares.
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For studio enquiries, commissions or press:
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