DR. JOANA C LEMOS Research Director

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My 2009 letter to respectful studios

"I am a communication designer with the privilege of waking up everyday to a view of vast ocean and sizzling sunshine.  The western point of Europe is homeland to me.  On one hand, it is not a country at the forefront of sustainable development, but thankfully on the other, it is still a country that has not been completely ‘globalized’.  Proudly I can say it is the largest producer of  FSC certified cork and has finally realized its immense potential for sun and wind power energy sources.  It is one lucky bastard of a country, that thankfully does not know how to drink coffee out of disposable cups. I try to fight not only to keep this view from my window as well as making sure everyone else in the world cherishes their view and treasures it for prosper future generations. Speaking of generation, I have been a witness of mine for a quarter of a century.  A generation once known as ‘the one without a cause’.  Wrongly accused, the cause is fighting for social change.

I am conscious this fight is hard work.  For this reason, the need to learn for me is an understatement.  For this reason I need your help - to give me your insight on how to achieve this.

I am not sharing this statement with every design studio I come across.  You are part of a short-list of studios I respect, and trust would help me grow within my practice.  If I cannot learn from you, I will continue to search on my own for the means and the ways to design with a purpose and a cause."