Media

In this article from Arquitectura magazine, authored by M. João Leal, the furniture exhibition by Metalúrgica da Longra in collaboration with the French company Airborne, held at the Sociedade Nacional de Belas-Artes in 1967, is discussed. The text highlights Longra’s pioneering role in adopting an industrial design policy in Portugal and its transition from artisanal to fully industrial production. The exhibition, designed by Daciano Monteiro da Costa, Eduardo Dias, and Tomás de Figueiredo, displayed a remarkable sense of modernity and effectively enhanced the presentation of the furniture. The article also reflects on the national industry’s dependence on licensed foreign models, raising critical questions about the economic and cultural consequences of this practice for Portuguese design.