Lecture by Aires Mateus at MArch

DATE

09.09.2026

Lisbon architect Manuel Aires Mateus, one of the most prominent figures on the current scene and recipient of the Pessoa Award, gave a lecture to MArch program students where he shared some of his most recent projects.

Drawing on the recent exhibition of his work at Serralves, Beleza a pesar de tudo (“Beauty Despite Everything”), Aires Mateus analyzed projects such as the House in Melides I, Cabanas no Rio, House in Monsaraz, and House in Barreiro. These works, scattered across Portuguese geography, are distinguished not only formally but also by their use of materials (solid brick in one case, wood in another, reinforced concrete in another, etc.). He did the same with other international projects, including the University of Tournai in Belgium and the restoration of a tower in Puglia, Italy.

Before discussing these projects, he shared the background of the exhibition, highlighting the fine line between art and architecture. The display featured 1:20 scale models crafted in wood and marble, lending them the sculptural character that permeates his body of work. These were paired with graphic documentation, large-format printed plans, and collages that allowed comparison between great historical works—such as the Pyramids of Egypt—and the Portuguese firm’s projects for which they served as reference.

In the final portion of the lecture, he presented five projects spanning different continents: Cape Verde, Australia, India, Mexico, and Portugal. Each project demonstrated the firm’s understanding of and ability to integrate into a site. Solutions ranged from drawing on traditional local construction techniques, as seen in Cape Verde, to reinterpreting historical architecture, as in the case of India.

His architectural career began in 1985, working at the firm of renowned architect Gonçalo Byrne. Three years later, in 1988, he co-founded Atelier Aires Mateus alongside his brother Francisco, which he continues to direct today. Parallel to his practice, he has taught at prestigious institutions such as the Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cornell University, and the Faculty of Architecture at the Autonomous University of Lisbon.