Press
This page offers journalists and publications clear context on BOAH NOVA, bringing together our media coverage, studio background, and press resources.
In the Media
Boilerplate
BOAH NOVA is an independent lighting studio based in Leça da Palmeira, Portugal, founded in 2021 by designer Fernando Pinto Santos. Every piece is designed and produced in-house, in small batches, with no seasonal collections - a deliberate response to the mass-production logic that dominates the industry. The studio works exclusively with responsibly sourced wood and water-based finishes, and plants a tree for every lampshade sold, in partnership with One Tree Planted. Incubated at UPTEC (Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto), BOAH NOVA has been selected for the VDW Light Selection 2026 at Venice Design Week.
Fernando Pinto Santos, Founder
Fernando Pinto Santos holds a Master’s degree in Design from the University of Barcelona and completed his PhD at Aalto University in Finland, with a doctoral research period at Stanford University in California. Drawing on these experiences - spanning Nordic material culture and Silicon Valley’s collaborative research environment - he founded BOAH NOVA in Leça da Palmeira to create an independent lighting studio where responsible design and local production remain closely linked, and where pieces are made to endure rather than to be replaced.
Fact sheet
— Founded: 2021, Leça da Palmeira, Portugal
— Founder: Fernando Pinto Santos
— Materials: Wood and wood veneers, water-based stains and varnishes
— Fitting standard: E26/E27
— Production: In-house, small-batch, no seasonal collections
— Sustainability: One tree planted per lampshade sold, in partnership with One Tree Planted
— Retail: SCAR-ID, Porto Art District, and online at boahnova.com
— Recognition: VDW Light Selection 2026 (Venice Design Week)
Media enquiries
We reply personally to every request. For interviews, images, or story angles: info@boahnova.com.