Where is the limit for fingerboarding to expand? Personally, I don’t think there is one. When you find a spot to fingerboard—whether it’s a perfect marble table or a rough concrete ledge on the street—if the four wheels can roll, that’s good enough for us.

This brings us to our topic for this episode of Designer’s Ethos: the relationship between fingerboarding and architecture.

At first glance, they may seem like unrelated worlds, but this article seeks to uncover the deep connections between the two.

Architecture shapes the spaces we inhabit, whether it’s a bustling cityscape with hidden gems for fingerboarding or the cozy confines of a DIY fingerboard park at home. For fingerboard enthusiasts, architecture isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a canvas for creativity and exploration.

In this episode of Designer’s Ethos, we sit down with Portuguese architect and fingerboarder Gil Dias, also known in the community as @professor_gil_fingerboarding.

Together, we dive into the intersection of design and play, exploring how architecture influences not only the spaces around us but also the joy and inspiration we derive from them.

Kick flip at Masserras building lobby, amongst Portuguese Lioz Marble / Photo by: Emmanuel Oberle

(NY) Can you share your background and what first drew you to architecture? Was there a particular moment that sparked your passion?

(GD) I believe I’ve always been drawn to architecture, ever since I was a little kid. So many of our memories are shaped by the spaces where our lives unfold, even if we’re not fully aware of it. I have vivid memories of spaces from my childhood—from my grandparents’ houses to the kindergarten I first attended, the schools I went to, and the homes where my life took shape. I believe this is true for most, if not all, people.

While I always had “some” understanding of architecture, in all honesty, I only became truly passionate about it after enrolling in architecture school. There, I was exposed to so much information through both theoretical and practical classes. I’ve come to believe that the more you know about any subject, the deeper your passion for it grows. If I were to pinpoint a moment when my passion took root, it would be during my time at university—a gradual realization over months of study. I came to understand that we are all part of something much greater than ourselves, and architecture is one of the ways we express our identity as human beings on Earth—albeit in a physical form.

“Small teenage wannabe corner at home”, Lisbon / Photo by: Gil Dias

(NY) I’m curious to know more about your journey with fingerboarding. Were there other influences that led you to appreciate its parallels with architecture?

(GD) I’m not entirely sure about the parallels, but there was a significant influence from building physical models. When the Portuguese FBPT forum appeared, I started building a lot of fingerboard ramps, using the same materials—and experimenting with new ones—that I used for architectural models.

My journey with fingerboarding began when I was skating a lot. Like so many others, I loved trying to mimic skateboard tricks with my fingers, using whatever I could find. For me, in Portugal, that started with a small eraser that had a tail, which I covered with grip tape. Later, around 1997, I came across a Tech Deck at my local skate shop, Marteleira—I believe it was a Think model. From that moment, a fingerboard has been in my pocket probably 95% of the time.

It wasn’t until 2006 that I saw a YouTube video called Portuguese Fingerboarding by Miguel Tavares. That video introduced me to the growing fingerboarding scene, and only then did I start learning proper tricks—beyond the low ollies and slides I had been doing before.

Fingerboarding in a Brutalist school in Chur - Holy Christ Church, by Walter Förderer, 1969, Switzerland / Photo by: Emmanuel Oberle

(NY) Architects often discuss the balance between functionality and aesthetics in their designs. How do you personally achieve this balance, and can you extend this concept to fingerboarding?

(GD) I firmly believe that functionality is king, meaning that aesthetics should always follow function and never overpower it. In that sense, you could consider me old-school, as I believe we live in a time where aesthetics often dominate. Everything today is fast-paced, designed for quick consumption, and easily discarded, resulting in a short lifespan. This trend isn’t limited to daily objects—it affects music, skateboard graphics, fast fashion, and more. Since architecture and construction are responsible for a massive amount of pollution, energy usage, and resource consumption, I think we have a responsibility to challenge this “trend” of short-lived designs. That’s where functionality comes in as a potential solution—one of many, of course.

If a building—or any object, for that matter—has a longer lifespan, it will reduce resource consumption over time, especially as we (hopefully) move beyond today’s constant need for novelty.

A building must meet its functional requirements in the best possible way while also being adaptable to future needs. It should be designed to withstand the elements—even extreme ones, as we’ve unfortunately witnessed in Portugal in September 2024 and recently in Los Angeles. This could mean designing fireproof, airtight buildings with tempered glass in certain areas, suspended structures with strong foundations, and systems for efficient rainwater drainage and retention.

To connect these ideas to your question: deckmakers and other creators in the fingerboarding world should aim for optimal functionality while keeping aesthetics in mind. We all want grindable surfaces and edges, quality wear and tear, durable materials, and a realistic look. Some key players, like Stoned Obstacles, are already moving toward this balance by creating products that feel authentic and durable.

Kick flip to fakie at one's childhood's playgrounds is an amazing experience. Kempten, Switzerland / Photo by: Emmanuel Oberle

(NY) What values would you say are essential in both architecture and fingerboarding? Is it about freedom, creativity, precision, or something else?

(GD) Full freedom of thought, the ability to think outside the box, and even the ability to feel outside the box—these are essential. Anyone who has experienced a state of flow in fingerboarding (or creating art) knows it’s about more than just brainpower, function, or execution. Sometimes, we put in a lot of effort to land a trick or come up with a solution, while at other times, the answer seems to come to us effortlessly.

I would summarize this as a concept akin to “selectively choosing to invest in a direction” and then reaping the outcomes. It’s important to remember that this is a broad concept, open to interpretation and application.

Loz's Flint workstation, working on a custom Flint / Photo by: Emmanuel Oberle

(NY) Both architecture and fingerboarding seem to involve a deep interaction with physical space. How do you see these two practices overlapping in their use of space?

(GD) I think skateboarding allows for a much broader physical interaction with space, as Iain Borden explains so well in his book Skateboarding, Space and the City (which I highly recommend). The ability to see something “normal” from a new perspective is a quality shared by both skateboarding and fingerboarding. Where others might see just urban furniture, statues, or generic structures, skateboarders and fingerboarders see potential spots.

Architecture, on the other hand, serves as an ensemble of building blocks for life to unfold within the artificial environments we call cities, towns, or even small landmarks. It allows for multiple interpretations, offering a platform for diverse thought patterns. I believe this vision is incredibly valuable, especially in the unique times we are living in.

The urgent need for different ways of thinking is undeniable. New forms of organization and production must emerge to help us, as a species, address the enormous challenges we face. Architecture, like skateboarding, encourages us to reimagine and rethink the spaces we interact with, which is essential for creating innovative solutions.

Páteo 2024, riding the Lions Plaza Replica spot / Photo by: Emmanuel Oberle

(NY) Many fingerboarders are very adaptable and resilient when learning new tricks. Is there a comparable process or mindset in how you tackle challenges in architectural design?

(GD) I’d like to add that our mindset—focused effort, intensive research, and active trial and error—is key to achieving results. Personally, I’m not a big fan of spending hours trying to land super difficult tricks on camera. Much like skating, I prefer to enjoy the process—exploring, having fun, and eventually coming back to the trick. After a few tries, I’ll either land it or move on and “go around the block.”

In architectural design, this mindset can be compared to diving deeply into functional studies. When you truly master the functional aspects of a design, you can revisit the project, rework it almost from scratch, and produce a solution that is a perfect synthesis of all the elements, fully aligned with the original intent. Of course, much like skating, there are times when we fail the trick, get hurt, miss a deadline, or have to settle for wrapping up the project as it is.

Chilling at Am Steig, Mythical spot in Schwarzenbach, next to Paolo and Loz (actually oiling some Gripskin decks to help Manu out) / Photo by: Emmanuel Oberle

(NY) For fingerboarders, the environment shapes their movements and ignites their creativity to utilize the space, just as architecture shapes human experience. How do you envision your designs impacting the lives of people who use the spaces you create?

(GD) I run an architecture office (LUPAstudio) with two partners and a team of collaborators. In our practice, we place a great deal of focus on doing our best to create a positive impact. At the end of the day, the true measure of success in architecture isn’t about winning awards—it’s about having a meaningful, positive influence on society, helping people live better lives, and designing buildings that can withstand the test of time. If we can achieve that, then we’ve succeeded.

We’ve been fortunate to have many clients return to tell us how much they enjoy inhabiting the spaces we’ve designed. This kind of feedback makes us incredibly happy, but it also drives us to keep evolving, to look further, and to ensure that our projects prioritize durability, adaptability, and resilience. Ultimately, we hope to contribute to making the world a better place.

We work hard every day, and so far, it’s been paying off, but the sense of responsibility is immense. For instance, we haven’t yet had the opportunity to incorporate steel profiles in curbs or seating angles—something we’re eager to do when the right project comes along.

(NY) With Lisbon and Porto gaining recognition as international design hubs, what do you feel is unique about Portuguese architecture and the fingerboarding culture that stands out globally?

(GD) Portuguese architecture is outstanding, in my opinion, due to a historical ability for problem-solving that we call desenrasca in Portuguese. As a society, we’ve learned to work well with limited resources, and this extends beyond architecture. I’m not entirely sure about Lisbon and Porto being recognized as design hubs—or at least I’m not fully aware of it—but if that’s the case, I believe it’s probably our straightforward, no-nonsense approach that makes us stand out. This attitude applies not only to design but also to fingerboarding.

You can feel this authenticity at Oak Wheels’ (Ricardo’s) Páteo Pro Fingerboarding events. Everything is highly functional—not perfect—but it fosters the essence of what makes fingerboarding culture so great! The sense of community, the side conversations, the unexpected detours, the endless laughter… That’s why so many friends return year after year or whenever they can. It’s not about perfection or expensive setups. It’s just pure and simple fingerboard culture!

This same vibe exists in Lisbon with Replica and has happened—and hopefully will happen more often—with Lowpro. In Porto, let’s not forget Yellowood, which even features a public fingerboard park. While these scenes might have subtle differences, at their core is a shared passion for fingerboarding culture, driven by love and authenticity that resonates with everyone who visits.

Gil Dias in Porto / Photo by Emmanuel Oberle

(NY) How crucial is it to you to maintain traditional Portuguese architectural elements, such as materials or patterns, in your modern projects, even when designing contemporary spaces?

(GD) Unfortunately, architecture today exists in a state of constant copying without borders. We are still living in an era where an office in China might borrow elements from a Chilean office, or a German office might learn from a Mexican one. At its core, there’s nothing inherently wrong with this—cross-cultural inspiration can be enriching. However, when everything that defines identity-specific architecture is lost, we face a serious problem.

This feels reminiscent of the International Style all over again. Due to the weak cultural appropriations of the postmodern era, we architects seem to have lost sight of what makes buildings truly local and regional. I believe we are now entering a period of returning to localism as a response to the tremendous loss of identity we have been experiencing.

The growing awareness of carbon footprints in materials is, if nothing else, driving an increase in the use of local materials. Less distance traveled means lower carbon emissions—it’s a no-brainer. This is something we strive for whenever possible. However, in public contracts, contractors are often free to choose cheaper alternatives, which, in our contradictory world, might mean importing similar materials from another continent simply because it’s more affordable.

Watercolor and Flint, selfmade picture, 2024, Lisbon, Portugal / Photo by: Gil Dias

(NY) How do you feel architecture can adapt and breathe new life into historic or neglected spaces?

(GD) Architecture can and should focus much of its energy on the reutilization of existing structures. We need to shift from a paradigm of demolition to one of reuse as the standard. This change doesn’t rest solely on architects but also on the major key players and forces that shape the construction industry—those who hold the real decision-making power in shaping the physical interpretation of our built environment.

When people talk about sustainability in architecture, the focus should begin with how long a building can last. Sustainability should be the result of a complex formula that considers both carbon emissions during construction and the building’s durability. In many cases, it’s better to accept higher emissions upfront for a structure with a significantly longer lifespan than to prioritize low emissions for a building that will need to be demolished and rebuilt in just twenty or thirty years. Over time, recycling could even become more expensive than maintaining or repurposing a durable, well-designed structure.

(NY) Lastly, as both a fingerboarder and an architect, I’m curious to know how you construct your own fingerboarding space. Do you have any design tips for those who want to create their own unique space?

(GD) You know, Noah, at the end of the day, it’s really all about a table and a curb. My setup features a marble surface made from smooth, flexible 40x40 cm slabs (you’ll have to convert that to inches!), with storage for ramps underneath and boards displayed on the wall. I’m planning to add a small linear light above it soon!

Most days, though, it’s just the living room table with a granite or marble curb—simple but effective, you know what I mean? If I were to share any tips, they’d be: focus on good lighting (which I’m still working on), flexibility, and a surface with good pop (stone, concrete, or phenolic panels work best). Pair that with a mix of hidden storage and on-display storage for a functional yet stylish setup. ;-)

Gil Dias
Instagram: @professor_gil_fingerboarding

How Fingerboarding Reflects Architectural Principles - Gil Dias

From Portugal to the World - Gonçalo Lozano, Flint Ltd