Exciting Design
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Concept
Provoke, Stimulate, Seduce. Bat eye is the idea of a creative man, Marco Sousa. An experienced architect, profoundly in love by cities, who felt compelled to create furniture in which he would encompass his two passions: architecture and the urban environment. His work congregates the elements of both art and architecture, transcribing into his furniture designs the forms, movements, gestures and colors that were saved in his own imagination.
ers to take pieces from cities to their homes. We produce furniture immersed on the urban collective memories that stay unnoticed to most people, but not to Bat eye. Our furniture personifies that common memory, and makes it last. Provoke, Stimulate, Seduce. Should these elements be on a piece of furniture? We believe so.
Some people think that bats do not need their eyes since they rely on a sonar system to guide them instead. Such an assumption could not be more amiss. It is true that this so called “sixth sense� strengthens the bat’s perception, but at times, when the bat notices beauty, he looks. And when gazing, the bat perceives. It was precisely when faced with this trait that Bat eye gained its identity. A detail, veiled behind a door lock, brings to memory the eye of the bat. It is called Bat eye because we want your eyes to be kept wide open, to observe, to appreciate and, in the end, we want you to feel totally passionate by our pieces of unique refinement.
And how should we do it? First of all, we should have the ability to create, to defy and to take risks. It is important to understand that the latest technology will only last if it blends with tradition. Furthermore, we acknowledge that even the worthiest idea is worthless if not crafted by the most competent artisans.
Competition on the market today communicates and sells design and design only, but we want more. We want our custom-
From the noblest of materials, excellence will emerge. From precise detail, uniqueness will arise. And from all the passion we put into what we do, perfect pieces will surface. With all this added value, our pieces might become pieces of art instead of mere pieces of furniture. That is a risk we are willing to take.
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Marco Sousa
What will the next city be? As an architect I felt the need to create furniture that caught in the elements of convergence between art and the urban environment. The shapes, movements, gestures and colors saved in my imagination are transcribed into the furniture I design as a tribute to the places where I have been. Nobody chooses the city where is born … sometimes the city chooses us. That is my case. That is how it is with Porto. My traces become the streets’ traces, the city lights awns my colours, and maybe I’ll draw to discover its mysteries I have much to draw. I want to recreate world places, for the entire world. What will the next city be?
“Every city is my city, where to I always return” by Álvaro Siza Vieira
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manufacturing
Work with the best craftsmen. Mankind produces objects, buildings and images since before History. Each culture develops a unique relationship with the objects making it difficult to set apart art and design. It was set on this premise that Bat eye drew and sculpted these striking design pieces, which can be valuated also as pieces of art. This is only possible by joining the helping hands of the best artisans with the most modern machinery we have at dispose, which work together to create the fine detailing and boldness you can find on our unique pieces. Every piece was crafted using the noblest materials. All carefully selected, and worked down to the smallest detail.
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Porto Collection 11 11
Porto, the hometown of Marco Sousa, is the starting point of this collection. It is also the bottom line for someone who has lived and known the city for so long, that has now has decided to honor the places forever behold on these pieces of exquisite taste. We observe the Douro reflecting and there we see the Bridge D. Luiz I uniting both banks of the Douro River. And there are colors, motions and lights well known by who knows his city by heart. This collection has the courage, sympathy, tradition and nobleness of the people of Porto. That is what makes it remarkable.
So is the character of the Porto Collection.
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Ballet
Silhouette
Sensuality
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Cask
Arc
Elegance
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Rhytmic Movements
Ties
Reflection
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lamp
Ballet
“ A simple dance scattering into a ray of light. Miss, do you dance?“
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Ballet is an influential dance in the world, known by its refined technique and unique vocabulary.
Ballet Lamp Characteristics: Structure in solid wood. Veneer finish Power Cord, inside Lamp in wood, silver-plated. Dimensions: Height: 57 cm Diameter: 25 cm
One of the most classic maneuvers of the Ballet Blanc, the Grand Plie, is represented in this piece. In this ballet derivation, the dancer is taken on a higher regard than of any other element, being of central importance the footwork, flow, and the precise acrobatic movements of the ballerina. The rhythmic movement of feet flowing on this dance was the motivation to form the foot of the lamp in this piece, built using the finest woods available. The lampshade balances the whole piece mirroring ballet itself. The position of the dancer’s hands and arms creates a sense of balance and subtlety maintaining the lamp upright, spreading light up and down and creating a low light neutral environment.
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Sideboard
Silhouette
“ It is unknown if by destiny or irony, but the best view of Porto is from Gaia. Looking at the city from the opposite bank makes its silhouette last on our memory, even when our eyes are closed. “
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Silhouette sideboard Characteristics: Feet in stainless steel; Structure exotic veneer; Hand-painted tiles; Finished in high-gloss varnish. Dimensions: Height: 103 cm Width: 227 cm Depth: 80 cm
Inspired by this fact, Bat eye created the “Silhouette� Sideboard. This is a fine piece distinguished by its architectural forms, generous size and multifunctional interior. Among other features, inside you can find satinwood drawers and a wine cellaret for 12 bottles, which makes it a highly functional piece as well as one of undoubted beauty. The structure is made from stainless steel and construction includes a wide variety of hardwoods, such as rosewood and ironwood, coupled with the hallmark elegance of the tiles painted and placed manually, which make this piece truly unique.
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armchair
Sensuality “ Like a woman’s body. Nude, stripped and challenging.“
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Sensuality armchair Characteristics: Structure in solid wood; Upholstery in high quality fabric; Varnish coating. Dimensions: Height: 110 cm Width: 80 cm Depth: 80 cm
An armchair with fine features, aggressive shapes, puzzling but real, complex although seductive, inspired by sensuality and herald of its tribute. Using nothing other than noble wood and a subtle tissue chromatically pure, this piece can arouse strong emotions as well as being capable of some harmony, highlighting the elegance, art and design placed in itself, factors that are brand identifiers. By experiencing “Sensuality� we become part of the piece, sensing all its attributes and taking part of an unforgettable and exciting experience.
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mirror
Cask
“ The cask is the womb of the wine. “
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Talking about Porto is talking about its wine, a treasure that made the whole region, and even the country of Portugal, quite well known worldwide. Port wine is internationally recognized as product of excellence. It is a soft taste, full bodied and sweet drink never lacking in any house of Porto and very often chose to sponsor the most diverse celebrations. In years before, port wine was placed in barrels up north and then transported to Porto. The barrels were superimposed on the “Rabelo” boats and brought to Vila Nova de Gaia cellars to be stored. “Cask Mirror” was inspired on these overlapping movements of barrels in the Rabelo boats. This is a mirror that reflects more than the silhouette of whom noted, this is a piece that mirrors the history of port wine and the city of Oporto.
Cask mirror Characteristics: Structure in wood; Finished in high gloss lacquer. Dimensions: Height: 120 cm Width: 160 cm Depth: 5 cm
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Sideboard
Arc
“ What nature divided, men dared to unite. One bridge between the two banks led the conversation on. “
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125 years were more than enough for the bridge D. Luís I to become one of the most iconic places of Porto. Although the official name of the bridge is “Luiz I” as attested by the inscriptions on the plates of both entries on the lower decks, the population of Porto has always called this bridge “Bridge D. Luís”, safeguarding the title of the king with whom the city was very close with. This is a work piece of extraordinary engineering designed by Teófilo Seyrig, partner in business of the world recognized Gustave Eiffel. 32
However, the Arc Sidebar seems its antithesis. Instead of a magnanimous piece of engineering, Bat eye has created a fine and delicate piece by the hand of the artisan, offering an exquisite interior carefully designed and finished in satin wood, and transforming the metal bridge joining the two banks of the river into the support base of this fine piece. Finally, we added some color to the piece and garnished it with superior tiles painted by hand. The same tiles that the city of Porto wear, and the same all tourists love.
Arc sidebar Characteristics: Hand coated painted tiles, Lacquered in Mother Pearl; Inside in satinwood; Iron feet. Dimensions: Height: 98 cm Width: 193 cm Depth: 71 cm
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console
Elegance "Lions Square bustles! Black-cloaked students hustling around, bodies preparing to another run on to the nightlife, water pouring from the fountain…this is the framework where “Elegance” lays.“
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Elegance console Characteristics: Veneer structure in rosewood; Inside in satinwood; Natural varnish finish. Dimensions: Height: 90 cm Width: 50 cm Depth: 50 cm
Lions Square has always been a very posh place, very strongly linked to the Oporto academy and commerce. In 1803 the Royal Academy of the Navy and Commerce was founded by the Prince Regent D. João to meet the needs of the rising mercantile bourgeoisie of the city. The elitist character of the square was reinforced in 1885 by the installation of the Fountain of Lions, a public facility built by the French Compaigne Générale pour L’Eaux Entranger, concessionaire of the city’s water supply. The console elegance is based on this same fountain, in its movement and its shape.
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Sideboard
Rhytmic Movements
“ If you are flying over the city it is normal to feel compelled to jump from rooftop to rooftop. This made us realise that the sky is no longer the limit.“
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Rhytmic Movements sideboard Characteristics: Structure in exotic wood; Finishing in lacquered black and varnish coating; Varnish coating. Dimensions: Height: 90 cm Width: 180 cm Depth: 55 cm
If we look at the city from a bird’s eye perspective, we witness that in many sections the buildings are all identical, tall and narrow, some more leveled that others, but all fairly similar. This sideboard was Inspired on those shapes and movements formed by the rooftops on the city of Porto. This pattern served as model for the concave shape of the piece, both in its interior and exterior. This way, we think we have achieved the perfect piece. 41
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bench
Ties
“ Sometimes, you just feel stranded in one place. Some other times that same place, is just the best one to be.“
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Ties bench Characteristics: Iron structure, hand woven and paint; Upholstered in high quality velvet. Dimensions: Height: 50 cm Diameter:40 cm
Port of departure and arrival, a safe and nostalgic place. The place where our brave sailors were expected from sea is the same where they sailed from, off to new adventures. Sailing into the unknown, traveling “in uncharted waters”. The mooring cleats were difficult to let go when at departure, but easy to grasp when on arrival, symbolizing both departure and arrival. Based on these mooring cleats, Marco Sousa created the piece “Ties”. In this bench, the legs are twisted as a metaphor for the strong ropes holding the boats, while the smaller cables around symbolize the smaller ships berthed to shore. The piece is put together with a generous velour seat of extraordinary quality, which makes it incredible to look at.
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console
Reflection “ Going up this river, the sun casted a silver reflection over the bright blue river making it look even more profound.“
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This piece represents the reflections of the Douro River, which brings to mind great memories of the city. Walking around on its sidewalks and courtships, the recollection of sunny afternoons and friendly conversations until night comes. When strolling around downtown you are faced with different colors in different light conditions. The river reflects all this colors. Some are lighter and some are darker, but they all pour from the Douro River. The tabletop on this piece is silver plated with a special lacquer gradient so it will look different on different light conditions. Different light effects will generate different pieces to look at. Using this trick, we place a bit of the Douro River on every “Reflection Console� we make. And it is incredible to look at. See it for yourself.
Reflection console Characteristics: Rosewood veneer structure; Topped with silver plated varnish finish. Dimensions: Height: 100 cm Width: 160 cm Depth: 40 cm
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Architect: Marco Sousa Photos: Pedro Saraiva Jo達o Pinto Pedro Pimenta Marco Sousa Graphic Design: Luis Gomes at
Satori.pt
Texts: Luis Oliveira, Ricardo Cruz.
Info@bateye.com www.bateye.com