Guilherme Machado Vaz graduated from the Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade do Porto (FAUP) in 1998 and later earned a PhD in Architecture from Universidade Lusófona do Porto in 2020. His early career was shaped by his time as a collaborator at Eduardo Souto de Moura’s office (1996-1997), where he developed an acute sensitivity to materials and spatial composition.

From 2000 to 2021, he worked as an architect for Matosinhos Municipality, where he played a crucial role in various public projects. His Centro Cívico de Custóias, the Custóias Football Club, and the pavilion at Jardim Basílio Teles were instrumental in redefining civic spaces in the region. His most significant municipal contribution came in 2017 with the reconversion of the Companhia Vinícola Portuguesa into a cultural complex housing the Casa da Arquitectura and the Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos (OJM). This project received the National Urban Rehabilitation Award (IRHU) and an Honourable Mention at the FAD Awards.

Beyond his public work, Machado Vaz has maintained a strong independent practice. His residential projects range from the Casa do Vale in Vieira do Minho to a rehabilitated home in Foz do Douro, as well as a house in Afife and several others. He also worked as the local architect for David Chipperfield Architects on four houses at the Bom Sucesso Golf Resort & Spa in Óbidos, further expanding his experience in international collaborations.

An active figure in architectural education, he was an Assistant Professor of Project at Universidade Lusófona do Porto (2012-2021) and has held guest professorships at Politecnico di Milano (2017) and Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona (2019). Since 2021, he has been an Associate Professor at the Department of Architecture at the University of Coimbra.

Machado Vaz has also contributed to architectural discourse as a guest speaker at numerous institutions in Portugal and abroad. His work has been widely published in national and international architectural journals and was the subject of a solo exhibition at Roger Williams University (USA) in 2023. He has also served as a jury member for the Iberian Architecture FAD Awards (Barcelona, 2008) and led workshops such as Porto Academy 2015 (FAUP) and Wa.ve 2016 (IUAV Venezia).

His professional contributions extend beyond design and academia. From 2020 to 2023, he served as President of the General Assembly of the Portuguese Order of Architects, further cementing his role as a thought leader in contemporary Portuguese architecture.

Machado Vaz’s work consistently explores the intersection of heritage and modernity, proving that architecture can be both deeply rooted in its context and forward-thinking in its approach

Fernando Távora studied architecture at the Escola Superior de Belas Artes do Porto. He was a key figure in the “School of Porto,” which emphasized a critical and contextual approach to architecture. Távora’s work is characterized by its integration of modern principles with traditional building techniques and a deep understanding of the landscape. He was also an influential teacher and mentor, shaping the thinking of several generations of Portuguese architects, including Álvaro Siza Vieira.