Studio

We are an architecture practice that gives shape to a contemporary world through the design of buildings spaces, objects, urban and landscape environments. 

We believe that architecture comes from the synthesis of human needs of shelter, of combining the many requests on our daily lives and their constant change, and last but not least, of lifting the spirits. We work creatively from the start of a project in a combination of knowledges to deliver full scope of integrated and sustainable design solutions, shaping future.

 

João Carmo Simões

João grew up in Cascais and after completing his master's degree in architecture at Da/UAL, Lisbon, he receives the National Secil Universities Award 2010.

Believing that the quality of the environment that surrounds us directly affects the quality of our lives, and driven by his passion for innovation and excellence, in 2012, he founded his studio in Lisbon. Among his projects are Villa Sombra in Alentejo, Turismo Rural Quinta de Lazarim in Douro, Villa Plié in Cascais, Janela para o Céu in the renowed chapel Capela do Rato in Lisbon, Casa Azul in Costa Nova, Apartamento Corpo Santo in Baixa Pombalina, Apartamento Lima in Cascais, Casa Photomaton in Oeiras and the project of requalification and expansion of the school complex of Colégio Infante D. Henrique, in Funchal.

His works were highlighted in Monocle magazine issue , in the book Portuguese Modern Apartments, and on design websites. He is regularly invited to present his work at several universities.

Pursuing his thirst for knowledge, he worked with renowned architects such as Álvaro Siza, in Porto, or Paulo Mendes da Rocha, in São Paulo, editing books about their works and thought. His publications include: Civitas São Paulo, a journey through an idea of architecture in the city of São Paulo, through key works by architects such as Vilanova Artigas, Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Lina Bo Bardi or Oscar Niemeyer, distinguished for shortlist of the DAM - Deutsches ArchitekturMuseum Architectural Book Award for best architecture book of 2019; Designed Future / Paulo Mendes da Rocha the most complete anthology of texts by this architect; or the English edition Imagining The Evident / Álvaro Siza, distinguished as one of the best books of 2022 by Domus magazine .

He is founder of the publisher Monade books with a global reach, promoting excellence in architecture thinking and research. He was a member of the Portuguese Council of Architects, National Admissions Council and currently of the Board of General Assembly.

João is skipper, enjoys sailing and photography.

 

Core Team

João Carmo Simões, Founding Director, Architect MArch

Daniela Sá, Partner, Architect PhD Arch
Maria Prates, Architect MArch

Joana Orêncio, Architect MArch
Marie Tassan-Din, Trainee, Ch

Pierre-Loup Zehnder, Trainee, Ch

 

External Consultants Team

João Gomes da Silva, Landscape Architect 
Global - Arquitectura Paisagista

António Adão da Fonseca, Structural and Bridge Engineer 
Adão da Fonseca - Engenheiros Consultores

Raul Bessa, Mechanical and HVAC Engineer
GET - Gestão de Energia Térmica 

Rui Ribeiro, Acoustical Engineer
Amplitude Acoustics

Marta Azevedo, Hydraulic Engineer

Campo d' água

 

Previous Collaborators

Marta Tornelli, Architect MArch

Madalena Roque, Trainee

Vega Solaz Soler, Architect MArch 

Marta Onofre, Architect March 

Olaya Mourenza Flórez, Architect March

 

 

 

 

Contacts

RUA RODRIGUES SAMPAIO, 19, 5ºB

1150-278 LISBOA, PORTUGAL

view map

 

T. (+351) 210 992 319

 

General enquiries: mail@joaocarmosimoes.com

 

Job enquiries: work@joaocarmosimoes.com

Press enquiries: press@joaocarmosimoes.com

 

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Inprint

Design João Carmo Simões

© 2023 All rights reserved. No part of this website may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission from the copyright holder.

Awards

 

DAM Architectural Book Award (2019)
Deutsches Architekturmuseum, nomination for the best book of the year
 
National Architecture Prize Secil Universities (2010)
 
 

Publications on Our Work

 

Monocle 154

Magazine — About Casa Azul / London, 2022

 

Revista Património

Magazine — About Janela para o Céu / Lisboa, 2019

 

Portuguese Modern Apartments

Book — About Lima Apartment / Uzina, Lisbon, 2015

 

Publications

 
Imagining the Evident / Álvaro Siza
Book — Editor and Graphic designer / Monade Books, Lisbon, 2021
 
Gulbenkian
Book — Editor / Monade Books, Lisbon, 2019
 
Design Future Paulo Mendes da Rocha
Book — Editor / Monade Books, Lisbon, 2018

 

Civitas São Paulo João Carmo Simões

Book — Author and photographer / Monade Books, Lisbon, 2018

 

Folha de São Paulo

Newspaper — about 50th anniversary of MASP - Museum of Art São Paulo, 2018

 

Álvaro Siza / Museu Nadir Afonso

Book — Author and Editor / Monade Books, Lisbon, 2016

Lectures and Talks

 

Stones are alive directed by João Luís Carrilho da Graça
Workshop team Coordinator at Da_UAL Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, 2019
 
50 Years of Gulbenkian Building
with Gonçalo Byrne, José Neves, André Cepeda
Talk at Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, 2019
 
Tribute to Prof. Manuel Graça Dias
Talk at Da_UAL, Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, 2019
 
Futuro Desenhado Paulo Mendes da Rocha Book Launch
with Guilherme Wisnik, Daniela Sá 
Talk at Lisbon Architecture Triennale, 2019
 
Civitas São Paulo
Open Classroom X Ar.Co – Arts and Visual Communication Center, 2019
 

CIVITAS / São Paulo

with Inês Lobo, Ana Vaz Milheiro, Daniela Sá

Talk at Kaffeehaus, Chiado, Lisbon, 2018

 

CIVITAS / São Paulo

with Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Guilherme Wisnik, Daniela Sá
Talk at ITAÚ Cultural, São Paulo, 2018

Inauguration of the project Janela para o Céu

with José Tolentino Mendonça, Luísa Soares de Oliveira

Talk at Capela do Rato, 2018

 

POROSIS / The Architecture of Nuno Brandão Costa

with Mark Lee, Sharon Johnston and Nuno Brandão Costa

Talk at Chicago Architecture Biennial, 2017


Álvaro Siza / Museu Nadir Afonso

with Guilherme Wisnik, Daniela Sá

Talk at Livraria Cultura, São Paulo, 2017


Paulo Mendes da Rocha / Museu Nacional dos Coches

with Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Fernando Viegas, Daniela Sá

Talk at Escola de Cidade, São Paulo, 2017

 

Relação – Conferência Pontapé

Lecture at Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade do Porto (FAUP), 2016

 

Viagem: Processos de Construção do Olhar

Lecture at Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade do Porto (FAUP), 2014

 

Prática versus Ensino

Lecture at Da/UAL Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, 2013