Casas e Lugares do Sentir – Craft Lab: Enhancing Craftsmanship through Digital Technologies

The municipality of Fundão, located in a low-density rural area of central Portugal, faces the challenges of demographic ageing, depopulation, and erosion of traditional knowledge. In response, the local authority launched Casas e Lugares do Sentir in 2017—an integrated cultural and territorial regeneration strategy aimed at preserving, promoting and reactivating the region’s intangible heritage.

At its core, the initiative converts abandoned or underused community buildings (such as former primary schools or parish centres) into thematic houses, each celebrating a specific local tradition—such as clay, weaving, cheese, cherry, honey, pastoralism, and more. In total, 14 thematic houses form a living cultural itinerary that combines education, tourism, heritage, and social inclusion.

In 2019, the strategy evolved with the creation of Craft Lab, in partnership with FabLab Aldeias do Xisto and CEARTE, to integrate digital fabrication technologies into traditional crafts. The goal was to foster innovation and sustainability in craft production, engaging artisans, youth, students, and micro-enterprises in a shared process of co-creation. Examples include workshops in clay 3D printing, basketry with natural materials, and artistic residencies connecting local traditions with contemporary design.

The strong points of the strategy included the deep community ownership and cultural legitimacy; the educational and intergenerational focus (over 35,000 children and young people have participated since 2017); the inclusive governance model with local, regional and international stakeholders (including UNESCO); innovation through the merging of traditional craftsmanship and digital fabrication, creating new markets and uses; and the revitalisation of built heritage and rural identity.

Implementation is coordinated by the Division of Innovation and Culture of the Municipality, in close collaboration with parish councils, schools, artisans, and regional partners. Activities include educational visits, workshops, certified training, exhibitions, and co-design labs.

Enabling conditions included the strong alignment with local cultural policy and Fundão’s identity as a Child-Friendly and Learning City; the EU funding via ERDF for infrastructure requalification; the additional support through Creative Europe, Culture Moves Europe, and local investment; and the engagement of technical partners with expertise in digital manufacturing and heritage training.
 

The project faced several challenges, including the need for constant funding to support maintenance and programme delivery; the balancing heritage preservation with contemporary reinterpretation; and ensuring accessibility across remote areas.

Despite challenges, the strategy is now a national and European reference for intergenerational cohesion and rural revitalisation through culture, recognised as a 2023 New European Bauhaus Awards finalist and part of the UNESCO Learning Cities Network.

Since 2017, more than 35,000 children and young people have taken part in the educational programme. Over 300 hours of certified pottery training, 20 workshops in pottery, 6 in basketry, and 3 artistic residencies have been delivered. The initiative contributed to Fundão joining the UNESCO Learning Cities Network in 2024 and was shortlisted for the New European Bauhaus Award.

Casas e Lugares do Sentir – Craft Lab offers a scalable and adaptable model for other European rural or peri-urban territories facing identity erosion, youth outmigration, or underused public buildings.
Key transferable elements include the reuse of community heritage buildings for cultural activation; the integration of traditional skills with digital tools; the intergenerational education frameworks; and partnerships with schools and cultural networks.

https://www.cm-fundao.pt/