Issue 229 of El Croquis Dedicated to Aires Mateus

DATE

18.04.2025

This edition offers an in-depth look at the projects developed by the studio between 2018 and 2025, providing a comprehensive overview of their recent evolution, conceptual approach, and way of understanding contemporary architecture through works that explore space, light, and the relationship with the surroundings with exceptional sensitivity.

Founded and led by brothers Manuel and Francisco Aires Mateus, the studio has over three decades of experience in fields ranging from architectural design to urban planning and the restoration of heritage buildings. Their practice is characterized by an integral approach that spans from the initial concept to the final delivery of the building, allowing them to maintain full control over the process and ensure coherence in the final result. From large-scale urban plans to meticulously designed small spaces, their work reveals a careful attention to detail and a deep understanding of the physical and cultural context of each intervention.

One of the studio’s most distinctive traits is its collaborative vision of architecture. Aires Mateus frequently works with a wide range of specialists: engineers, landscape architects, architects, economists, contractors, and developers, as well as public institutions and social agents. This way of working reflects their belief that architecture cannot be understood as an isolated practice, but rather as the result of a network of collaborations that help the project grow and strengthen throughout its development.

The architecture proposed by Aires Mateus is not the product of individual intuition alone, but of constant interaction with the human, technical, and cultural environment that surrounds it. For them, designing means being in continuous dialogue with the information and the people involved in the process. This attitude translates into projects that breathe a sense of essential calm, where every decision seems inevitable and every form emerges from deep reflection on place, function, and emotion. The El Croquis issue, subtitled Flame and Crystal, marks this period as a particularly fruitful chapter in the studio’s trajectory and reaffirms its position as one of the most influential references in contemporary European architecture.

The publication offers a detailed look at some of the most representative works by Aires Mateus during this period, showcasing the range of scales, programs, and contexts they have addressed. Among the featured projects are unique residences such as the House in Monsaraz, the House in Campo de Ourique, the House in Praia das Maçãs, and the House in Meco, which demonstrate their mastery of domesticity and the relationship with the landscape. It also includes large-scale public works such as the Renovation of Teatro Variedades, the Reims Fine Arts Museum, and the L’Elysée and MUDAC Museums, where the studio’s material and spatial sensitivity adapts to new functional and urban challenges. The publication also covers projects in international contexts such as Casa Wabi, the House in New Delhi, and the Renovation of a tower in Puglia, as well as more experimental works like the White Ruins in Alentejo or temporary architectures—each one reflecting a practice that remains poetically coherent while exploring new ways of inhabiting and representing space.

MARCH VALENCIA | ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO

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