OLÁ MEANS HELLO, IN PORTUGUESE.

I am a writer, a seeker, a researcher, a traveller, and eventually a socially engaged designer.
I grew up in my hometown Lisbon, in Portugal. Early on I started extensively travelling, mostly through Asia, Europe and most recently South America. I lived one year in Ghent, another one in Berlin, half a year in Buenos Aires and am now back to Berlin again.
Some days I attempt to be someone who speaks four to seven different languages, but most often I realize I actually speak none.

I always studied visual arts, while secondarily committing to my writings. I studied Modern Literature for a year, but figured out that knowing how to analyze a text is not what makes a writer.
I'm still not sure what does.

From a very early age I began collecting writing awards, but always taking this as a parallel pastime to my visual studies (design, multimedia, video).
In 1999 I published my first book, the script for a comics book, in 2005 the first short story was published, and 2006 the first compilation of short stories. Finally at twenty five, holding a diploma in Design Studies I would never actually use, I ventured out to Berlin and wrote myself away for a year. That was the first novel.

In that year in Berlin I had the privilege to work in some admirable projects such as "The Table of Free Voices" movie, by DroppingKnowledge, or the Social Design Site. I paired up with Art-Ecology-Education.org, and became a Regional Ambassador for the INDEXaward, Design to Improve Life, the largest Design award.

Then I went back to Lisbon, where in a attempt to integrate all the information I had been exposed to and inspired by I initiated the Social Design Blog. A meeting point for writers and thinkers and practitioners of all backgrounds.

Very recently I enjoyed an indescribable half year in Buenos Aires, where I conducted field work for my future PhD on the role of artistic practices in transition scenarios. I mostly focused on the neighborhood of La Boca, a fascinating melting pot of multi-cultural practices. I spent most of my time at a very unique book publisher called Eloísa Cartonera.

Now I am back to Berlin, to write my thesis, the next book - and enjoy the process(es).

PRESS / INTERVIEWS / ETC :

> ENGLISH AND PORTUGUESE: Revista Up/tap magazine [ pt ] [ eng ]

> PORTUGUESE WITH PICTURES: Um dia em Berlim com Laurinda Alves, a day in Berlin [ + ] [ blog ]

> IN PORTUGUESE: "Questionario de Proust" para a revista "Novos Livros" Março 2010 [ + ]