People hiking through the lush hills of Penacova, Portugal, or walking along the Mondego River this summer might come upon lost-and-found altars, private chapels, and an elaborate proposal for a park redesign.
These works are the culmination of a yearlong collaboration between students and faculty from Pratt Institute and the University of Coimbra and will remain in Penacova for the public to explore through September as part of the inaugural À Deriva Architecture, Design, and Arts Festival. Inspired by conversations with local community members about their way of life, cultural symbols, and hopes for the future, the projects ask passersby to consider the region’s cultural history and think about ways to bolster community and reimagine public spaces.
In studios and research teams over several months, Pratt students and faculty from the School of Architecture, School of Art, and School of Design developed projects and they spent the days leading up to the festival assembling and staging their works. Thousands of visitors flocked to Penacova from July 19 to 22 to view the projects and experience the city’s surrounding festivities.
Penacova Mayor Álvaro Coimbra and Maria José Soares, Pratt’s director of education abroad and international partnerships in the Office of the Provost, offered remarks at the opening ceremony that underscored the significance of the inaugural collaboration and its impact on both the local community and the international partners who helped bring it to life.
“À Deriva was a wonderful example of how international education can embody the essence of humanity,” said Soares. “Our students and their families had firsthand exposure to the local community and it was clear that the experience enabled them to appreciate the complexities of life in a small Portuguese town. They showed resilience, adaptability, and humility and were able to beautifully navigate cultural differences, logistical challenges, and the emotional weight of working on a project with real stakes for a community. À Deriva was transformational for our students and its impact endures in Brooklyn; it is emblematic of how one initiative can spark lasting change across continents.”
The weekend of programming kicked off with a hands-on workshop open to the community led by Analia Segal, adjunct professor – CCE of fine arts, followed by public barbecues, musical events, and student- and faculty-led walking tours to discuss the installations throughout Penacova. Segal’s workshop expanded on her mixed media installation “From Under the Orange Tree” and explored cultural exchange through breadmaking, drawing upon local history and sculptural techniques.
“The idea of making bread can slow us down, cultivating presence and fostering connection,” Segal said. “This was a space for making, thinking, and translating knowledge across materials and tongues.”
Three different Pratt architecture studios designed structures that were transported to Portugal and rebuilt on-site, along with two faculty works from the undergraduate and graduate programs. In total, three shipping containers holding nearly 3,000 pounds of material were delivered by cargo ship.
Students in a studio taught by Professor of Undergraduate Architecture Richard Sarrach worked with themes that emerged from a town hall Pratt faculty held in Portugal with community members in November 2024. Some themes included the cultural role of washing women, the religious significance of St. Anthony, and the communal nature of hearths. Students in Chair of Undergraduate Architecture Stephen Slaughter’s summer studio built upon these ideas and structures from both classes were shipped to Portugal for assembly.
“Under the unique challenge of synthesizing the work of the spring semester in three weeks, my intrepid students—Nikhil Singh, Anna Maria Roosipuu, and Janet Chuang, with an extra special assist from Randall Lopez and Andrew Kim—were able to meet the deadline for the festival and submit a work that is as meticulously detailed as it is compositionally complex,” said Slaughter. “I couldn’t have been more proud.”
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“Esconder E Procurar” by Emily Audet, BArch ’26 -
![A modern wooden structure sits near a river, featuring various angular designs and cut-out patterns on its roof. The building incorporates light-colored wood and includes multiple levels and seating areas. Surrounding the structure are trees and a cloud-filled sky, creating a serene outdoor environment.]()
“Atrás da isca” by Denis Gurcan, BArch ’26 -
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“Boneco da Queima: Past and Present” by Ali Aksahin, BArch ’25 -
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“A Lareira Dos Avós” by Julian Barroso, BArch ’26 -
![A unique architectural structure made primarily of light-colored wood is set against a backdrop of water and greenery. The design features layered wooden panels, some angled upward, and a decorative, cut-out roof section. It sits on a sandy area near the shore, with a clear blue sky and fluffy white clouds visible above. The structure appears inviting, with distinct openings and geometric shapes.]()
“Lava na Luz,” by Andrew Kim, Randall Lopez, and Nikhil Singh, and “Lavando Na Luz Síntese Protética” by Nikhil Singh, Anna Maria Roosipuu, and Janet Chuang, all BArch ’25 or ’26
Graduate architecture students in Joe Vidich and Olivia Vien’s studio created structures that, the professors wrote as part of a class description, “investigate how architecture can blur boundaries between the container and the contained, the functional and the fantastical.”
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![A wooden structure resembling a small pavilion or shelter is positioned on sandy ground near a river. The exterior features angled walls with cut-out shapes and a flat roof, surrounded by greenery and hills in the background. Scattered trees and some buildings are visible on the hillside, with a few people in the distant area. The sky is partly cloudy.]()
“Curio Cubo” by Rachel Guo and Miranda Schmidt, both MArch ’25 -
![An artistic outdoor furniture installation made of wood, featuring a tall, angular structure with vertical slats and an attached flat surface. Beside it, a small square table with textured drawers rests on a stone pavement. In the background, dense green hills and a clear blue sky with scattered clouds are visible. Decorative string lights are hanging above, and nearby trees provide shade.]()
“In Dialogue” by Genevieve Garlock and Ayman Razzaque, both MArch ’25 -
![A modern outdoor furniture installation made of wood, featuring a large, angular structure resembling a partially open screen, a smaller rectangular box with a drawer, and a tilted panel. The installation is set against a backdrop of lush green hills and a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. Decorative string lights are hung above, and greenery frames the scene.]()
“Escondidinho” by Emily Peres and Suvashis Sen, both MArch ’25 -
![A modern wooden installation featuring abstract shapes, including an upright piece with vertical slats and two smaller elements. The setup is located outdoors against a backdrop of lush green hills and a blue sky with scattered clouds. String lights hang above, and a stone wall borders the area.]()
“Chapel of Play” by Cadyn Chien and Cristian Maldonado, both MArch ’25
Under the guidance of Professor of Industrial Design Constantin Boym, students from the School of Design researched and conceptualized ways to improve a local park named Parque Verde, drawing on locally sourced materials, and transform it into a vibrant community gathering place.
“From the beginning, the À Deriva project was conceived as an international cross-disciplinary collaboration between academia, municipal government, and the local community,” said Boym. “Working at this crossroads provided a fascinating learning experience for student participants.”
Their proposal included a redesigned entrance with new waste receptacles, seating options, and informational signs; sports and fitness amenities; a playground; a marketplace with picnic tables and a bread-making oven; and a structure of terracotta tiles for educating children about local climate, flora, and fauna.
“From a design perspective, one of the most important things that were relevant to both me and the team was the idea of silent design—implementing new design to a strongly connected community while being relevant to what they are familiar with—not overwhelming them with novelty and respecting their deep-rooted traditions, perspectives, ways of life, and the overall landscape of their environment,” said Damian Mayaki, MID ’26. “The intervention/proposal is not meant to be an unprecedented novelty for this relatively small town, but an ideal extension for maximizing the potential of this space for and from the perspective of the community that lives there.”
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![A shaded outdoor area with several wooden picnic tables, each displaying posters with the title "VERDEVIVO" prominently featured. Some tables have illustrations and information visible on the posters. In the background, a brick barbecue structure can be seen, and a person sits at one of the tables, contributing to a tranquil and natural setting. The ground is covered in dry leaves.]()
The park redesign proposal was printed on canvas and temporarily installed on tables in the park (Photo by Constantin Boym) -
![A shaded outdoor area features several wooden picnic tables, each with informational posters laid upon them. The posters include the word "VERDEVIVO" prominently displayed. In the background, there is a small brick structure that appears to be a barbecue or oven. A person is visible sitting at one of the tables, engaged with materials in front of them. The setting is surrounded by trees and dry foliage.]()
The playground display (Photo by Constantin Boym)
The projects installed throughout Penacova invited public dialogue, reimagined familiar spaces, and deepened appreciation for the region’s heritage. But perhaps more importantly, they seeded lasting relationships and new ways of thinking that will resonate in the town long after the festival ends—both in the physical installations and in the shared sense of possibility they inspired.
“There were connections made that are going to exist in perpetuity,” said Sarrach. “That’s what is wonderful about the community of academia when it’s operating at the best possible level. It’s about friendship, exchange, camaraderie, support, and longer conversations.”