26-09-2025
Brinquedo Tradicional Português. Sandra Rodrigues, Edição do Município de Valongo, 2019. ISBN: 978-989-54573-0-4
Tiago Silva, professor at DEMI and researcher at UNIDEMI is part of the interdisciplinary team behind “ToyStory”, one of three initiatives funded under the first edition of the Ignition Grants competition, promoted by Santander Portugal Foundation and NOVA University.
Led by Isabel Tissot (NOVA FCT, LIBPhys-UNL researcher) as principal investigator, the project focuses on tinplate toys produced in Portugal between 1920 and 1960, examining them as both cultural and material artifacts. These objects offer valuable insights into the industrial, technological, and social dynamics of the period, including the ways they reflected gender roles and educational practices.
Despite the importance of this industry in the Portuguese context—characterized by the creative reuse of materials and the adaptation of international techniques—its history remains largely unexplored. “ToyStory” aims to address this gap through an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together expertise in conservation, history, sociology, physics, and engineering.
The team also includes Maria Fernanda Rollo (NOVA FCSH), as co-principal investigator, along with Marta Manso and Paula Urze (NOVA FCT). The research is structured around four key areas: preservation, industrial context, sociocultural impact, and sustainable innovation.
By connecting materials, manufacturing processes, mechanisms, aesthetics, and social context, the project seeks not only to recover the memory of an underappreciated heritage but also to inspire sustainable practices, foster creativity, and highlight the importance of Portuguese material culture.
