I'm a senior architect and painter who graduated at the University of Oporto in Portugal and CEO at Júlio Caseiro – Arquitectura, Lda with about twenty years of professional work.

I have a professional office where I practice architecture and also work for my clients while respecting their desires, the place, materials and light.

I'm happy for the distinction and will continue working with professionalism, creativity and respect for the environment and client’s wishes. This award is a recognition of my work that has been developed over years of architectural practice.

This project was made with the objective of representing a symbiosis with the environment, the local culture, nature, the farm, animals and people and, as such, I’m proud of it and decided to give it a try.

The biggest challenge was to create the project while respecting the rurality about the place, Arouca, and its heritage and, at the same time, to create functional/practical houses with respect for the construction’s materials that make use of the sunlight.

Winning a Muse Award was important to me because it is equivalent to getting recognition of my work that has been developed through the years, but I will still keep working as usual and try to improve as always.

The advice that I would give is that we should always strive for improvement and try to create while having in mind the environment as well as the surroundings.

To visit museums, travel, to have an organized work and keep always drawing.

A good architect must understand the others, himself, the place and the materials.

A lot of persons in time life, according to the interests of the actuality.

Work hard, respect and “feel” the environment and the materials and always try to create something you are proud of.

I would like to thank the jury and the organization of Muse Awards for this amazing experience and award.