ARX is a Portugese architecture studio founded in 1991 by the two Brothers Jose Mateus and Nuno Mateus. ARX´s work has obtained several prizes and mentions such as the International Architecture Awards The Chicago Athenaeum, USA (Ilhavo Library), International Association of the Art Critics, Prize in Architecture 2003 (Maritime Museum), and Nominations for the Secil and Mies Van der Rohe Prize, 2002 (Maritime Museum). Beyond projects, articles and references in specialized newspapers and magazines, three monographic books were published on ARX´s work: A Second Nature (Blau 1993), Realidade-Real (CCB 1993) and Ilhavo Maritime Museum (Caleidoscopio 2004).

Philosophy

ARX say about themselves: "Our architecture doesn't follow a lexicon or a stabilized language. In every new project we try to find the "vocables" for a specific language to the new context. More than searching common points between each new project and the previous, our interest focus more on finding differences. It is as if we were always returning to zero. And, at a certain level, that is our conception of innovation.

Evidently this approach also opens up a vast research field. Not having to work within rigid precepts, we search an experimental path where we can test new concepts starting from what interest and fascinates us. Meanwhile, wise seem to us the words of the Brazilian poet and philosopher Antonio Cicero that once said: "what is interesting, it is not much writing something new, but writing something that the reading doesn't date it."

Nuno Mateus

Born in Castelo Branco (Portugal), in 09 of August 1961, has graduated in Architecture from Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa (FAUTL) in 1984. In 1987 obtained a Master of Science in Architecture and Building Design at Columbia University in New York. Has worked among others with Peter Eisenman in New York from 1987 until 1991 and with Daniel Libeskind in Berlin in 1991.

He has taught in several Architecture schools, national and international. Currently teaching Final Project - Master Thesis in FAUTL (Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa - Faculdade de Arquitectura) and Project VII and VII at UAL (Universidade Autonoma de Lisboa), Nuno Mateus as also been UAL's Director of the Architecture Department from 2004 until 2007, having teached also Project III and IV. He was as well visiting professor in Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (ESARQ-UIC) in Barcelona and followed Architectural thesis projects at ESAP (Escola Superior Artistica do Porto).

In 1991, together with Jose Paulo Mateus, he founded ARX Portugal Arquitectos. The office work is wide spread from private to public commissions in Portugal and abroad as well as several international competitions. Some of its major projects are built and a few are currently under construction.

ARX´s work has obtained several prizes and mentions such as the International Architecture Awards The Chicago Athenaeum, USA (Ilhavo Library), International Association of the Art Critics, Prize in Architecture 2003 (Maritime Museum), and Nominations for the Secil and Mies Van der Rohe Prize, 2002 (Maritime Museum).Beyond projects, articles and references in specialized newspapers and magazines, three monographic books were published on ARX´s work: A Second Nature (Blau 1993), Realidade-Real (CCB 1993) and Ilhavo Maritime Museum (Caleidoscopio 2004).

Jose Mateus

Born in Castelo Branco in 1963, has graduated in Architecture from the Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa (FAUTL) in 1986. Currently President of the Director's Board of Lisbon Architecture Triennale, was also Executive Director of the events Trienal 2007 and Trienal 2010. Currently a member of Babel's Editorial Board. Was President of the Southern Regional Assembly of the Ordem Arquitectos, as well as Vice President of the Direction of the same Regional Section between 2005-2007.

Guest professor at the Instituto Superior Tecnico, in Lisbon, he was teacher at the Escola Tecnica Superior d' Arquitectura of the Universitat Internacional da Catalunya (ESARQ-UIC), in Barcelona; at the Instituto Superior de Ciencias do Trabalho e da Empresa (ISCTE) and at the Escola Superior de Artes Decorativas de Lisboa (ESAD).

Author/coordinator of the magazine Linha (Architecture, Design and Landscape) of the weekly newspaper Expresso. He was also author/coordinator of the two television series Tempo & Traco for SIC Noticias channel. He was a regular participant on the radio program Na Ordem do Dia on TSF.