Pedro Sottomayor is Adico’s new creative director

Adico, the century-old Portuguese metal furniture brand, has hired Pedro Sottomayor as creative director. With a solid background in product design and a long-standing connection to the company, Pedro Sottomayor takes on the challenge of continuing to strengthen Adico’s identity on the contemporary design scene.

Pedro Sottomayor’s relationship with Adico goes back to his teenage years when, in the late 1980s, he sold Adico chairs in a decoration shop in Porto. In 2016, this connection was strengthened when he won the competition promoted by Lisbon City Council and MUDE – Museu do Design to design the new layout, regulations and furniture for the city centre’s esplanades. He designed some of the new pieces, produced by Adico, namely the Maria and Manuel models, and was responsible for coordinating the entire process. This journey culminated with his official integration into the Adico team.
Born in Porto, Pedro Sottomayor (b. 1973) has excelled in developing innovative and functional projects. With a background in design and an international career, he worked with several renowned brands before founding MOR design. His approach to design combines tradition and modernity, promoting the valorisation of national production and the sustainable use of materials. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with many brands, companies and institutions, always with the aim of creating solutions that combine aesthetics, functionality and innovation.

Its portfolio includes a wide range of projects that exploit the potential of various industries in Portugal. Examples include Mèzë, a brand and product line developed from scratch, based on the know-how and experience of the manufacturers, and the Adagio chair for the Casa da Música produced by Nautilus, the result of intensive research to find a material that guaranteed maximum acoustic performance by absorbing sound.
“It’s a great honour and responsibility to join a brand like Adico, with such an important history to maintain but exploring new paths. The goal was already set to keep Adico going for another 100 years, and what we’ll be doing over the next few years will be to prepare for that. Getting closer to the Portuguese and reaching out to other countries, with new products of great quality, functionality and always timeless, as Adico does so well,” says Pedro Sottomayor.

Miguel Carvalho, Adico’s director, emphasises that “the choice of Pedro Sottomayor as creative director was a natural step. His experience and knowledge of the sector, combined with his sensitivity to design and innovation, make him the ideal person to lead Adico’s creative department. What’s more, his long-standing relationship with the brand demonstrates a deep understanding of our DNA and the path we want to continue on. We are very excited to have him on the team and are confident that his vision will contribute to further strengthening our position in the market,” he says.
With this appointment, Adico reinforces its commitment to contemporary design excellence and the valorisation of its legacy.