About the Practice

Through its architectural practice, Miguel Amado Arquitectos creates spaces where place, people and culture coexist in harmony, grounded in the reinterpretation of programme requirements and the commitment to sustainability that informs interventions in planning, urban design and architecture. The practice combines professional design with a strong research component, recognising that innovation emerges through the integration of knowledge, critical thinking and practice.

The development of methodologies and expertise for the sustainability of the built environment is reflected across its planning and architectural projects. Its approach integrates sustainability principles with cultural values, environmental performance and economic considerations, seeking balanced and resilient design solutions.

An interdisciplinary methodology fosters innovative collaboration between architects, engineers and experts in architectural history and theory, creating a common platform where design and technology converge.

This research-driven approach also supports work beyond conventional architectural practice, connecting housing issues with public and private programmes, urban regeneration and the rehabilitation of informal settlements, particularly in developing countries, while emphasising the importance of access to public services in rural areas.

Practice

Miguel Amado Arquitectos operates across the fields of Architecture, Urban Planning, Urban Design and Product Design. Since its establishment in 1988, the practice has brought together architects, engineers and sustainability consultants with expertise in sustainable construction, bioclimatic architecture, energy efficiency, renewable energy systems, energy certification and post-occupancy evaluation.

Over more than thirty-five years of professional activity, the practice has developed a diverse portfolio encompassing healthcare, educational and sports facilities, office buildings, industrial developments and residential projects, ranging from rehabilitation and renovation to new single-family and multi-family housing.

Its experience also includes commercial developments such as shopping centres, retail spaces, restaurants and markets, as well as tourism projects including hotels, eco-resorts, the rehabilitation of historic palaces and listed buildings, and golf course developments. Within the cultural sector, the practice has designed museums and exhibition spaces, reflecting its broad experience across multiple architectural typologies and scales.

Urban Planning and Urban Design

"Understanding the importance of shaping society through urban planning and urban design is so fundamental that it scarcely requires explanation."

Miguel Amado Arquitectos develops knowledge and methodologies that contribute to the sustainability of the built environment through urban planning and urban design.

Its approach integrates sustainability principles, environmental performance, socio-cultural values and economic considerations into spatial planning, urban design and territorial development. This interdisciplinary framework promotes innovative collaboration between architects and engineers, combining design and technology to deliver efficient and context-sensitive responses to each project's programme.

Alongside professional practice, the office has developed significant expertise in housing strategies, urban rehabilitation and the regeneration of informal settlements, particularly in developing countries, which continue to represent important areas of applied research.

The practice has extensive experience across a wide range of project scales, from Municipal Master Plans and Detailed Plans to Implementation Units, land subdivision developments and architectural projects for housing, healthcare, education, markets, sports facilities, museums, tourism infrastructure, hotels and campgrounds, as well as public squares, urban parks and urban regeneration projects.

Research remains a central component of the practice, with participation in numerous national and international research projects exploring sustainable urban development and architectural innovation.

Miguel Amado Arquitectos is committed to sustainability and innovation, believing that architecture and urban planning have a fundamental role in shaping a more sustainable future.

Architecture

"Creating the geometries that define and shape space, form and volume is the fundamental role of architecture."

Miguel Amado Arquitectos approaches architecture as a cultural response to human activity and its relationship with the natural environment.

Its design methodology is informed by architectural history and theory while embracing sustainability as a framework for addressing the social, cultural and economic dimensions of the built environment.

This interdisciplinary approach encourages close collaboration between architects and engineers, integrating design and technology to produce efficient and coherent architectural solutions. Particular attention is given to housing programmes, urban rehabilitation and the regeneration of informal settlements, which remain important fields of research and professional practice.

For Miguel Amado Arquitectos, creating places where people can live, interact and work is at the heart of architectural design.

Products and Materials

"Our desire to contribute to solving contemporary challenges encourages us to innovate, to look at problems from new perspectives and to transform them into opportunities. In doing so, we seek to add value to both the theoretical and practical dimensions of architecture. Value, in this context, means solving problems while responding to the evolving needs of society and its time."

The close relationship between the practice and academic research has enabled Miguel Amado Arquitectos to develop innovative products, building systems and materials, several of which have been certified and patented.

The office is currently developing two new products in the field of biomaterials, in collaboration with industrial partners and universities, reinforcing its ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability and applied research.