['Go Beyond']
Going beyond what is expected or required; Being more than or not limited to something
The Go Beyond program reflects a relationship of appreciation and respect for the planet's natural resources, the local community and cultural heritage and heritage.
Fully aware of the different effects associated with hotel activity and tourism, NINE DOTS assumes the will and commitment to adopt concrete measures and actions that have a positive impact in environmental, social and cultural terms .
During the construction phase, local labour was used to its advantage, using those who knew the art of construction best. Decorative elements were sought first on the islands, then in mainland Portugal and only occasionally outside Portugal.
Mãos Que Criam is a space for productive occupation, part of the Instituto S. João de Deus - Casa de Saúde de São Miguel, intended for people with mental illnesses and/or problems linked to addictive behaviors.
Through artistic expression, creativity and systematization of production, this program promotes the maintenance and development of personal, social and relational skills.
The main objective is to carry out maintenance work and acquire skills with users who do not yet demonstrate them, contributing to their reintegration into the community.
When we talk about sustainability, we also talk about social responsibility and generating a positive impact on society. It is in this context that the collaboration between NINE DOTS and the Mãos Que Criam project was born.
Each ceramic piece at ETC. Osteria Bar is handmade by Mãos Que Criam users and employees, transforming clay into unique pieces.
The creation process is divided into several phases and tasks, so that all project users are included, according to their skills, abilities and motivation.
In this way, from the printing of the stamp to the placement of the ceramic glaze, all the work is valued, recognized and contributes to a final piece that is unique and meaningful.
Project that combines organic farming and solidarity economy, promoting the inclusion of people at risk of social exclusion, combining sustainable and diversified production practices with opportunities for integration, autonomy and promotion of decent work.
Operating since 2017 and covering a total of 9 hectares, Bio Kairós supplies seasonal vegetables and aromatic herbs.
Deliveries vary according to seasonality and agricultural availability, with products being organically incorporated into the ETC. Osteria Bar menu, depending on what the land offers at any given time, reinforcing direct support for local production and the solidarity economy.
Simple and elegant in character, the chairs at ETC. Osteria Bar are part of a traditional line of furniture from São Miguel, the well-known "Cadeiras das Furnas", contributing to the preservation of the Azorean cultural identity.
It is in Povoação, in the paradisiacal Vale das Furnas, that we find the craftsman who creates them - António José Carreiro, known as Mestre Paivinha . A craftsman all his life, he belongs to the third generation of a family of craftsmen and now passes on the knowledge of his craft and more traditional techniques to his son Paulo.
In the hands of Master Paivinha , who carries one of the legacies of traditional craftsmanship, acacia wood, one of the species present in the forest landscape of the Azores, is worked from its rawest state, until it is transformed into chairs of unparalleled beauty.
At ETC. Bar you will find nine tables made by this self-taught craftsman from São Miguel, designed especially for this space and composed of basalt stone slab bases reused from the original building, with tops in regional acacia wood.
In addition to producing items in basalt, ignimbrite and other rocks from the region, Luís Caetano works exclusively with woods found in the Azorean forest, such as Cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica), Acacia (Acacia melanoxylon) and Regional Pine (Pinus pinaster).
At the NINE DOTS Wellness Center, the side tables come from a single Cryptomeria trunk that washed up on the coast and were worked using the Japanese "Sugi Ban" technique, which, by flaming the wood, improves its durability and resistance.
This artist's pieces are produced exclusively by hand in his studio in Ponta Delgada, and no two are the same.
Oficina 26 was created by master José Luís Silva, who dedicated his entire life to his passion for joinery and carpentry, having collaborated with major entities in
civil construction.
His son Bruno joined his father in 2020, bringing youthfulness, energy and a pulsating desire for innovation.
Throughout the Hotel, you will find pieces that were brought to life by the hands of this duo, using woods such as Oak, Kambala and Cryptomeria.
The ETC. Osteria Bar is a testament to the mastery of his work, in the production of wooden tables and elegant stools.
Likewise, Reading Corner reveals the meticulous care and extreme dedication of Oficina 26. A place where wood is the expression of a legacy united by intrinsic knowledge and a contemporary vision.
The Vieira Ceramics Factory is one of the oldest ceramics factories in the Azores. Its origins date back to the 19th century and it has remained in the same family ever since. The current owner, António José Vieira, is the fourth generation of the family, and is supported by his three daughters.
With very characteristic designs, in which the color blue predominates, the well-known "Louça da Lagoa" is produced through artisanal processes, from modeling, to painting and firing in the oven.
Here, in this "ex-libris" of the municipality of Lagoa, the tile panel for the ETC. Osteria Bar was produced, designed by the NINE DOTS architecture team. A contemporary work, conceived for this space and handcrafted by the artisans of Cerâmica Vieira , which honours and transposes to the present day the history and traditions that have endured since the factory's early days.
The set of approximately 80 works of art that make up the hotel's core collection was exquisitely treated and framed by Ângelo Valério , a local artisan with vast experience who has collaborated for several years with different galleries and museums in the Azores.
In addition to the frames for works of art, his creations extended to some pieces of furniture and the boxes that frame televisions in bedrooms.
MUSA AZORES aims to promote the sustainable and socially inclusive use of an important resource that exists in abundance in the Azores - the banana tree, Musa species - through the creation of handcrafted pieces and the promotion of experiences around it.
According to statistical data from SREA - Regional Statistics Service of the Azores (2019) 1 , in 2018 the Azores produced around 5053 tons of bananas, which represents 22% of national banana production.
Each ton of banana generates around 4 tons of waste, since banana trees do not allow for a second harvest, thus becoming biomass waste.
The need to promote greater sustainability in the use of this resource has become a growing concern for the promoters of the MUSA AZORES project, António Braga and Vanessa Melo.
The search for sustainability was also accompanied by the desire and opportunity to promote local traditions and cultures, often involving vulnerable local communities in converting this waste into handcrafted or manufactured items, with a view to their social inclusion and socioeconomic development.
Exploring different transformation techniques, the dried fibers from the banana stem and leaves are intertwined to create different decorative and utilitarian pieces.
One of these extraordinary creations is present in your room – the small fruit basket that comes from using what was previously waste to give it a new life, representing a healthy, simple and respectful relationship with nature.
1 Regional Statistics Service of the Azores. Regional Secretariat for Finance, Planning and Public Administration (SRFPAP). The Azores in Figures. Angra do Heroísmo, 2019.
Zouri is a Portuguese eco-vegan footwear brand that uses plastic waste from the Portuguese coast combined with ecological and sustainable materials.
Each pair of shoes reuses the equivalent of 8 plastic bottles from the Ocean, with 80% of the plastic waste collected coming from fishing activities.
With more than 600 volunteers from local institutions, non-governmental organizations and schools, Zouri has already removed more than a ton of plastic from Portuguese beaches, giving it a new purpose.
At NINE DOTS, we walk the talk about the values we believe in. Our employees wear Zouri footwear, handcrafted, fairly and ethically produced in Portugal.
We also carry out occasional cleaning actions on the beaches of São Miguel, sending the plastic found here to Zouri for reuse.
Every day, with every step, we honor the noble mission of protecting the oceans.
In vehicles with combustion engines, in addition to the well-known carbon dioxide (CO2), several atmospheric pollutants are emitted, namely carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, among others, which damage the ozone layer and contribute to global warming.
Honoring its commitment and responsibility to carbon neutrality, NINE DOTS has its own 100% electric vehicle , a responsible alternative, without pollution and without noise.
According to the report "Plastics, circular economy and environment in Europe – a priority for action", prepared by the European Environment Agency 2 , greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic production in the EU are responsible for 13.4 tonnes of CO2, or around 20% of emissions from the chemical industry at EU level.
Additionally, most plastics, often used in disposable forms, have been accumulating, either in landfills or in our oceans.
NINE DOTS is committed to reducing the use of disposable plastic products as much as possible and to helping to recycle them whenever possible. We count on our guests to help us in this mission.
2 European Environment Agency. Plastics, circular economy and environment in Europe – a priority for action. Report No 18/2020. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2021.
At ETC. Osteria Bar we aim to use mainly local products, benefiting from the island's agricultural wealth and, at the same time, offering fresh, authentic and quality food.
In this way, we are able to not only contribute to the local economy, but also reduce the environmental footprint associated with the transportation of food from different regions.
