• atelier RUA

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21 / 09 / 2020
Francisco Garcia de Freitas, Luís Costa Valente, Paulo Vieira Borralho and Rui Velho Didier are the names behind RUA, a studio whose common discourse ‘still under construction’ is based on more horizontal rather than hierarchical collective model.
Consistency, resilience and good taste are the hallmarks of the studio's portfolio, which has been responsible, since 2006, for designing wineries, camping sites, homes, cultural spaces and accommodation. When asked about their preferences, they smile: "the preference is for diversity, that's what enriches us as a studio".

After studying at the same university and working with several European studios (from the Swiss Hergoz & De Meuron to the Portuguese José Adrião, also interviewed by us in this issue), what do you believe to be the common thread that binds you today? Our identity is one that is still under construction today. The beginning was very difficult, with endless discussions, and each of us faced each project as if it were our last. As time went by, we have learned what each one of us values and we have built a common discourse. Today, atelier RUA is no longer just a sum of Rui, Luís, Francisco or Paulo's projects; it is, rather, the synthesis of the ideas we have in common. Our personal visions of architecture are the vision built in the studio. The identity of the studio is expressed through respect for context, both natural and constructed, engaging in dialogue with contemporary form as a mechanism for responding to a programme. We believe that for this dialogue to take place certain values must be present: time, in the sense of continuity and the acceptance of its different layers, the scarcity of means and formal simplicity.

Is this identity influenced by any particular references? I'd say we like good architecture, no matter where it comes from or who creates it... More than contemporary or 'personified' references, there are references to models. The tradition of Portuguese popular architecture is one of them; it's no accident that the Inquérito à Arquitectura Popular Portuguesa (The Survey of Popular Portuguese Architecture) is always moving from table to table here in the studio. Similarly, the most ‘erudite’ 20th century Portuguese architecture is always present, with natural references to its great masters, as well as Brazilian modernity or other references we frequently resort to, as a result of our experience in ateliers both in Portugal and abroad.
  • atelier RUA
  • atelier RUA
Camping site, Abrantes, Portugal, 2010. Photo © FG+SG  
  • atelier RUA
House Dois, 2018, Portugal, (w.i.p.). Photo © 3D courtesy atelier RUA 
  • atelier RUA
House Dois, 2018, Portugal, (w.i.p.). Photo © 3D courtesy atelier RUA  
  • atelier RUA
Terrace view, Adega 23, Winery, 2015, Portugal. Photo © Nuno Almendra 
  • atelier RUA
Adega 23 West Facade, Winery, 2015, Portugal. Photo © Nuno Almendra 
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Casks Room Access, Adega 23, Winery, 2015, Portugal. Photo © Nuno Almendra
When you started your studio in 2006, you were on the brink of facing a severe international crisis. Comparisons with the current situation are inevitable – how did this make you more resilient at the time and what are the main challenges you now face? We were able to overcome that crisis because our structure was made up only of ourselves. We were just getting started, we had the determination to work and compete, and any achievement was already a more than the little we had. We learned to be responsible and not to get involved in adventures, even if sometimes the prospects seemed favourable and it felt tempting to hire more staff to lighten our workload. Today, we maintain this philosophy: one step at a time and prudence in the management of the studio.
 
  • atelier RUA
Linhaceira. Portugal. Photo © 3D courtesy atelier RUA  
  • atelier RUA
  • atelier RUA
Apartments Alcácer do Sal, 2019 Portugal. Photo © 3D courtesy atelier RUA 
  • atelier RUA
Luís Costa Valente, Francisco Garcia de Freitas, Rui Velho Didier, Ana Tomé, Paulo Vieira Borralho. Photo © Miguel Manso 
For more information, visit atelier RUA website. 
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