VANESSA D. FERREIRA

 

(She/her) is an educator, designer, and researcher based in Rio de Janeiro. Her work investigates manual work, material culture, and community-based creative pedagogies, focusing on how design and arts education can foster agency, imagination, and a sense of belonging.

 

With a degree in Architecture and Urbanism and a master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Vanessa has been working since 2004 with renovations, housing, and popular urban contexts. Throughout her career, her interest has shifted from the constructed object to the processes of making, perception, and collective authorship, articulating the fundamentals of phenomenology, critical pedagogy, and design justice.

 

Vanessa is the founder of Marcenaria Prática, a design and woodworking initiative focused on simplicity, accessibility, and intelligent materials. Her work aims to reduce and simplify production and assembly processes, expanding access to well-designed and functionally conscious pieces. In addition to designing and building her own furniture, Vanessa works as a teacher, giving theoretical classes on furniture design and practical woodworking classes. Her workshop and teaching space are located in Rio de Janeiro, at the SEMENTE coworking and school.