Badames, Ponteiros e Bujardas: As Gárgulas da Torre do Tombo documents the design, production and installation of the eight monumental gargoyles created by Portuguese sculptor José Aurélio for the National Archives – Torre do Tombo building in Lisbon. This is LiDA’s first publication developed in partnership with the publishing house Caleidoscópio, bringing its research findings to a wider audience.

Based on archival materials, interviews and extensive photographic documentation, the book traces the development of the sculptures between 1987 and 1990, from their initial conception to their execution and installation. It reveals the technical processes, tools and working environments involved, including the Porto de Mós quarries, the artist’s studio and the construction site.

The project was initiated in 2021 by João Bonifácio Serra, a professor and prominent figure in Portuguese arts and culture who passed away in April 2023. It was subsequently completed by the remaining contributors in collaboration with José Aurélio, both as a tribute to João Serra and as part of LiDA’s research into the technical and conceptual processes underlying Portuguese art and design.

Designed as both functional elements of the building’s rainwater drainage system and symbolic extensions of its architecture, the eight gargoyles were carved directly from Porto de Mós limestone. Each sculpture measures approximately 2 × 2 × 2 metres and weighs around 18 tonnes.

The publication strengthens LiDA’s commitment to preserving the memory of artistic and design practices while making research more accessible beyond academic contexts and promoting greater public awareness of art and design as forms of knowledge and sociocultural intervention.