LATA CANDLE HOLDER
The Lata Candle Holder is an exploration of Latoaria, the traditional Portuguese craft of tin sheet metalwork, which transforms flat metal sheets into three-dimensional objects using simple, time-honored techniques.
This project was developed in collaboration with a workshop near Lisbon, where I was initially struck by the ingenuity of traditional chicken feeders. Their stamped perforations—designed to prevent birds from injuring their beaks—demonstrated an elegant balance between functionality and material efficiency.
Recognizing the potential of this detail beyond its original use, I sought to reinterpret the perforated pattern within a new typology. A candle holder emerged as a natural choice, allowing the perforations to create a dynamic interplay of light and shadow while enhancing the reflective qualities of the tin.
The making process combined existing workshop tools with additional tin-rolling techniques developed specifically for this project. Although a precise two-dimensional drawing guided the initial design, many aspects of the final form were shaped through the craftspeople’s deep material knowledge and hands-on expertise, resulting in an object that reflects both intentional design and the inherent logic of the craft.
2025 // Open for edition.
Photos by Pereira Office