Susana Saraiva
architect | lecturer
Manama, BahrainCreate for others not for yourself. The one who is afraid of its work being copied doesn't understand the meaning of architecture and should seriously consider another activity. Your creation is for the world to enjoy and appreciate. If it doesn't there is nothing you can do except try again. Either so, your best work will always be the next one and regarding the previous, it may take years for its best qualities become visible. Real architecture can not be copied because it embeds your spirit and passion for humanity.
Create real utopias. Don´t try to be more than you are or to make others different from themselves. Wanting to transform the world into our own vision is not an utopia but a stupid arrogance. We may say that Utopias "an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect" are, by its own definition, impossible to achieve, maybe, if we consider that a perfect world goes against the basic nature of mankind. If not, I don't see why an Utopia should be impossible to achieve or, why anyone wouldn't want to strive for it. Understand the world as it is and work towards a real solution for its problems, ambivalences or even armful addictions.
Create "outside the box". The world is full of idiots. I guess that in every 10 people, 8 believe to be an artist or something like that, and form those, 6 will probably have the most stupid and nonsense ideas good for absolutely nothing except his/hers own personal expression. That´s fine by me as long as, there still be people in this world which are really concerned with using art and architecture to enhance other peoples lives. If the purpose of art is to express yourself, that is certainly not the purpose of architecture, so, think outside the box and also create outside the box meaning, go beyond what´s in front of you and is part of your cultural and social background.
Create real utopias. Don´t try to be more than you are or to make others different from themselves. Wanting to transform the world into our own vision is not an utopia but a stupid arrogance. We may say that Utopias "an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect" are, by its own definition, impossible to achieve, maybe, if we consider that a perfect world goes against the basic nature of mankind. If not, I don't see why an Utopia should be impossible to achieve or, why anyone wouldn't want to strive for it. Understand the world as it is and work towards a real solution for its problems, ambivalences or even armful addictions.
Create "outside the box". The world is full of idiots. I guess that in every 10 people, 8 believe to be an artist or something like that, and form those, 6 will probably have the most stupid and nonsense ideas good for absolutely nothing except his/hers own personal expression. That´s fine by me as long as, there still be people in this world which are really concerned with using art and architecture to enhance other peoples lives. If the purpose of art is to express yourself, that is certainly not the purpose of architecture, so, think outside the box and also create outside the box meaning, go beyond what´s in front of you and is part of your cultural and social background.
Work Experience
Metroquadrado®
architect | founder
office for architecture, graphic and web design
- Conception and development of architecture projects related to all functional areas, scales and phases;
- Conception and development of Competitions and Investigation projects;
- Technical support;
- Client management, Project management;
- Management of the relationship between architects and designers work.
- Conception and development of architecture projects related to all functional areas, scales and phases;
- Conception and development of Competitions and Investigation projects;
- Technical support;
- Client management, Project management;
- Management of the relationship between architects and designers work.
February 2002
-
Leça do Balio, Portugal
CEFA - Research Center For The Faculty Of Architecture Of The University Of Porto
architect
- Conception and development of architecture projects related to public residential and educational buildings for several portuguese universities - student residence for the sector II "Asprela" of the University of Porto; student residence for the University of Viseu; kindergarten school Carolina Michaelis, Porto; bar/restaurant in Palácio de Cristal public gardens, Porto;
- Interaction with multidisciplinary teams " engineering, landscape architecture, interior architecture;
- Architecture research in collaboration with IPPAR (heritage) - reconstruction of the St. Domingos Church, Guimarães.
- Interaction with multidisciplinary teams " engineering, landscape architecture, interior architecture;
- Architecture research in collaboration with IPPAR (heritage) - reconstruction of the St. Domingos Church, Guimarães.
December 2004
- March 2006
Porto, Portugal
Rui Mealha Architects
architect
- Part of creative team responsible for the development of projects related to urban planning in different stages;
- Interaction with multidisciplinary teams " structural engendering, landscape architecture, biology, geography, environment engineering.
- Resend city urban plan, Torres Vedras city Urban Plan, Albufeira city urban plan competition, University of Porto - sector II "Asprela" - urban plan, Porto city; and Vila do Conde city urban plan, all located in Portugal.
- Interaction with multidisciplinary teams " structural engendering, landscape architecture, biology, geography, environment engineering.
- Resend city urban plan, Torres Vedras city Urban Plan, Albufeira city urban plan competition, University of Porto - sector II "Asprela" - urban plan, Porto city; and Vila do Conde city urban plan, all located in Portugal.
September 2001
- March 2002
Porto, Portugal
Education
FAUP - Faculty Of Architecture Of The University Of Porto
Integrated Masters in Architecture
September 1997
- July 2004
Porto, Portugal
Bauhaus Academy
Post-Graduation
Bauhaus Kolleg XII - Urban Footprints: Bata Villes
October 2010
- June 2011
Dessau, Germany
FAUP - Faculty Of Architecture Of The University Of Porto
PhD
September 2014
- Present
Porto, Portugal
Languages
Spanish (Advanced),
English (Fluent),
Portuguese (Native),
French (Beginner),
Italian (Beginner),
Awards
Rotary Club Porto
Best Student 2004
200412
Arquitectura E Vida Magazine
honorable mention - competition "Modular structure for beach surveillance support"
200409
Vila Flor Municipality, Bragança, Portugal
6th place - International Competition
2009
Skills
Abobe CS4,
Artlantis,
Microsoft Office,
Sketch Up,
ArchiCAD,
Autocad,
Hand Drawing,
Photography,