GAME ART: HUGO PILATE’S LAGARES DO ALVARÁ (2023)
Lagares do Alvará is a virtual environment created using Unreal Editor for Fortnite, envisioning a partial reimagination of Mouraria, Lisbon, as a thriving, self-sustaining neighborhood no longer reliant on tourism. The project was mmissioned by Davide Onestini and André Trindade (aka By the End of May) for the 2024 Gentler Futures Festival. Special thanks to Maria Mascarenhas for providing invaluable local insights, enriching the project with contextual depth, and recommending Vale dos Vencidos, José Smith Vargas’s evocative graphic novel.
Hugo Pilate’s work revolves around enabling diverse groups to collaborate effectively by crafting shared visions, defining guiding values and principles, and developing actionable plans to bring concepts to life—from research to prototyping and piloting. His practice thrives at the intersection of design fiction, urban development, gamer culture, and maker culture, drawing inspiration from practitioners such as Sara Hendren, Nicolas Nova, Taeyoon Choi, and José Sanchez. With over a decade of experience, Hugo has honed a multidisciplinary approach that bridges speculative design with practical implementation, fostering innovation and inclusivity in collective projects. Beyond his professional endeavors, he nurtures a passion for creative coding and small-scale digital experiments. He has organized hackathons such as Digikat and Museomix India, exploring the interplay between traditional crafts and creative technologies.