Five pieces from the Broot – Dialogues from Within collection were showcased at the Portugal Pavilion in Osaka from 3 to 6 July, in an exhibition marking the end of the project’s international tour. Broot is led by ASSIMAGRA, the association promoting the Portuguese natural stone industry.
According to Célia Marques, ASSIMAGRA’s Executive Vice-President, the Portuguese natural stone sector has a significant economic impact, with a Gross Value Added (GVA) of around 750 million euros and exports exceeding 500 million euros in 2023. “The Asian market is particularly relevant for our sector. China is already our second-largest export destination. Japan still represents a smaller share, but it is strategic to strengthen the presence and recognition of Portuguese stone in Asia,” she explained. In this context, initiatives like Broot and its presence at Expo 2025 Osaka play a crucial role: “We need to create more value for our products, and that requires design, innovation, and high-level international promotion.”
According to Célia Marques, ASSIMAGRA’s Executive Vice-President, the Portuguese natural stone sector has a significant economic impact, with a Gross Value Added (GVA) of around 750 million euros and exports exceeding 500 million euros in 2023. “The Asian market is particularly relevant for our sector. China is already our second-largest export destination. Japan still represents a smaller share, but it is strategic to strengthen the presence and recognition of Portuguese stone in Asia,” she explained. In this context, initiatives like Broot and its presence at Expo 2025 Osaka play a crucial role: “We need to create more value for our products, and that requires design, innovation, and high-level international promotion.”
Curated and produced by OLIVAH studio, the Broot project offers an innovative, sensory approach to Portuguese stone, placing it in dialogue with sustainable materials from across Portugal, such as clay, wicker, basalt, and cork. In Japan, five of the 25 pieces from the collection were displayed at Expo 2025 Osaka, each representing the unique identity of different Portuguese regions.
“This collection was born from deep immersion in Portuguese territory. We travelled to Alentejo, the Azores, Serra da Estrela, and the Douro, discovering synergies between materials, forms, and knowledge that coexist with nature,” explained Gisella Tortoriello, curator and producer of the project and founder of OLIVAH.
Each piece reflects local stories and traditions. One sculpture in Osaka paid tribute to Alentejo’s megalithic heritage, with forms inspired by stone carving and archaeology, designed by artist and athlete Walmart Abreu, who incorporated nature’s language into the final shape.
“This collection was born from deep immersion in Portuguese territory. We travelled to Alentejo, the Azores, Serra da Estrela, and the Douro, discovering synergies between materials, forms, and knowledge that coexist with nature,” explained Gisella Tortoriello, curator and producer of the project and founder of OLIVAH.
Each piece reflects local stories and traditions. One sculpture in Osaka paid tribute to Alentejo’s megalithic heritage, with forms inspired by stone carving and archaeology, designed by artist and athlete Walmart Abreu, who incorporated nature’s language into the final shape.
In the Azores, wicker and basalt were combined to create a piece inspired by Pico Island’s winemaking tradition – recalling a time when soil was carried in wicker baskets between islands, and today the region’s largest vineyards flourish. Gisella explained, “This link between wicker and wine expresses the reproduction of the islands and their ancestral practices.”
In Serra da Estrela, the mountainous landscape inspired pieces using granite as a base and burel wool to represent the region’s historic textile industry.
Another piece drew inspiration from Foz Côa’s prehistoric rock engravings, using schist stone and acacia wood – a material rarely used – to add value. Engravings of horses and other motifs found on cave walls shaped the piece, which reflects on heritage, sustainability, and innovation.
“At its heart, this collection is a celebration of territory and raw materials, but also a call for innovation and the future of design based on traditional techniques. Stone is the central link; everything begins with it,” said Célia Marques.
In Serra da Estrela, the mountainous landscape inspired pieces using granite as a base and burel wool to represent the region’s historic textile industry.
Another piece drew inspiration from Foz Côa’s prehistoric rock engravings, using schist stone and acacia wood – a material rarely used – to add value. Engravings of horses and other motifs found on cave walls shaped the piece, which reflects on heritage, sustainability, and innovation.
“At its heart, this collection is a celebration of territory and raw materials, but also a call for innovation and the future of design based on traditional techniques. Stone is the central link; everything begins with it,” said Célia Marques.
Broot’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka marked the end of its international tour, which took the collection to several countries. It will now return to Portugal, aiming to continue the dialogue with local audiences, including a concept store and design challenges for architecture schools.
“We have welcomed visitors from all over the world. Now it’s time to come home and share with the Portuguese what we’ve built along this journey,” concluded the curator.
Led by ASSIMAGRA, Broot – Dialogues from Within promotes Portuguese natural stone as a premium raw material in contemporary design. The project values territory, tradition, and sustainability through an approach that combines innovation, art, and identity. It features collaborations with creators such as Studio Anansi, Studio Olivah, Vítor Reis Ceramics, JMM Design Studio, and Eneida Lombe Tavares.
“We have welcomed visitors from all over the world. Now it’s time to come home and share with the Portuguese what we’ve built along this journey,” concluded the curator.
Led by ASSIMAGRA, Broot – Dialogues from Within promotes Portuguese natural stone as a premium raw material in contemporary design. The project values territory, tradition, and sustainability through an approach that combines innovation, art, and identity. It features collaborations with creators such as Studio Anansi, Studio Olivah, Vítor Reis Ceramics, JMM Design Studio, and Eneida Lombe Tavares.
