Galerie Philia spotlights collective making with children’s designs at Philia Lab

Galerie Philia presents Philia Lab: First Steps of the Philia School, a new chapter in its ongoing exploration of design, craftsmanship and collective learning, bringing children’s ideas to life through sculptural furniture at the Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói in Brazil. “Following its first presentation at the Palácio de Cristal in Petrópolis, the exhibition brings together a series of sculptural furniture pieces imagined by children from local public schools and developed through a collective process involving design, craftsmanship, education and environmental awareness,” Galerie Philia explains in an official release.

First established in Petrópolis as a space for experimentation and shared learning, the project places young participants at the centre of the creative process. From observing and sketching to building prototypes and helping make the final objects, children shape each stage of the journey. Rather than imposing predetermined forms on children, adults provide only technical knowledge and guidance, leaving space for them to experiment. “Developed by Galerie Philia with Brazilian designer Gisela Simas, SOS Serra, Guga Casari and a group of local master artisans, the project uses reclaimed wood from fallen trees collected in the region. Curves, marks and irregularities are preserved as active elements of the creative process, connecting each piece to the material memory and natural landscape of Petrópolis,” the design gallery explains.

Philia Lab builds on the experience of Philia & Kids, the philanthropic initiative founded and curated by Ygaël Attali to introduce younger generations to design through collective creation. “What began as a series of workshops is now evolving into Philia Lab, a continuing space for research, production and encounter. It constitutes the first concrete step towards the creation of the Philia School, a permanent school dedicated to art, craftsmanship and design, rooted in its territory and accessible to children from local public schools,” the contemporary design gallery explains.

The design exhibition at MAC Niterói brings the project to an institutional setting. Within Oscar Niemeyer’s architecture, overlooking Guanabara Bay, the works enter into a dialogue between material, landscape and form. The showcase offers an opportunity to encounter not only the finished pieces, but also the educational and collective ambition that made them possible. “More than an exhibition, Philia Lab is the beginning of a long-term educational structure in which children, designers, educators and artisans can continue to imagine, make and learn together,” Galerie Philia concludes.