Aires Mateus Architecture is an architectural practice based in Lisbon, Portugal, founded in 1988 by two brothers, Manuel Aires Mateus and Francisco Aires Mateus. The firm aims to maintain an open understanding of architecture and realize its core essence in order to create thought-provoking architecture in contemporary Portugal.
During this year's YINTOUR Portugal Poetic Architecture and Luxury Residence Tour, we had the privilege of visiting Aires Mateus Architecture and inviting Manuel Aires Mateus, one of the studio's founders, to share his design philosophy on site. Titled Designing Residences, the presentation unfolded his thinking along two dimensions: the perceptual aspect—how architecture carries emotion and memory—and the rational aspect—how this is achieved through structure, materials, and spatial strategy.
Manuel Aires Mateus believes that the essence of architecture lies not in eternal physical presence, but in the perceptions it evokes and the continuity of its strategy. Much like landscapes in nature that constantly evolve yet remain consistent, his architectural works often intervene in the environment with a humble posture, preserving traces of time while infusing contemporary rhythms of life. He skillfully employs traditional materials such as handmade bricks, local marble, and natural wood, creating spatial experiences with depth and warmth within simple forms.
Throughout the sharing, Manuel Aires Mateus not only presented a series of compelling built works but also conveyed an architectural perspective: good architecture is an unfinished art—it requires being inhabited, felt, and remembered to become truly complete.
