Contacto Atlântico, one of the most recognised architecture firms in Portugal, has been featured in Exame Brasil, one of the country’s most prestigious business and real estate publications. The article, published in the Real Estate Market section, highlights the firm’s trajectory and its ambition to expand into the Brazilian market with a focus on retrofit projects.
30 Years of Urban Rehabilitation in Lisboa
With three decades of activity and approximately 100 rehabilitated buildings in the Lisbon region, Contacto Atlântico has built a solid reputation grounded in technically and architecturally complex projects. The firm distinguished itself through its ability to intervene in historic buildings considered difficult to execute, transforming urban challenges into references of high-end architecture.
Among the projects that cemented this recognition are the rehabilitation of the historic Diário de Notícias newspaper building, which earned the firm the Prémio Valmor, the most prestigious distinction in Portuguese architecture, as well as interventions in commercial assets for international brands such as Louis Vuitton, Massimo Dutti, and Zara.
“We started gaining recognition when we managed to approve and execute projects that were seen as impossible, especially in historic buildings,” says Architect André Caiado.
One of the Leading Architecture Firms in Portugal with a Global Vision
Contacto Atlântico operates as a truly multidisciplinary firm, bringing together architecture, engineering, interior design, and landscape architecture under one roof. This integrated model facilitates the execution of more complex projects and is one of the defining qualities that sets the firm apart among architecture firms in Portugal and on the international stage.
The Brazil operation is led by Igor Miranda, alongside partner João Caiado, reflecting the firm’s commitment to building close, dedicated relationships in every market it enters.
The Focus on São Paulo: Retrofit as Opportunity
The interest in the Brazilian market began in 2019, when Architect André Caiado visited São Paulo for the first time. What he encountered in the city centre sparked an immediate vision: Art Déco buildings of enormous heritage value in an advanced state of degradation.
“I looked at those buildings and thought: how can such beautiful constructions be in this condition? They are examples of Art Déco that, in my opinion, rival references like the Rockefeller Center,” says Caiado.
In 2023, a sold-out lecture at Casa Soma, at the invitation of journalist Raul Juste Lores, confirmed the genuine interest and the movement beginning to take shape in the São Paulo market. Today, Contacto Atlântico already has two projects underway in São Paulo, in the Largo da Batata district, an area which, in the partners’ view, is set for significant appreciation in the coming years.
“It is a very promising area. We believe that in 10 to 15 years, it could consolidate itself as one of the best neighbourhoods in the city,” says Igor Miranda.
Between Rehabilitation and Sustainability
The move into Brazil stems from a strategic reading that goes beyond business: the partners see in the Brazilian market a genuine cultural interest in the rehabilitation of historic spaces, with opportunities also identified in Rio de Janeiro and São Luís.
“There is a genuine interest in contributing to the rehabilitation of these spaces. To create something that people will not forget,” says Caiado.
The philosophy is also inherently sustainable: “There is nothing more sustainable than reusing a structure that already exists,” he adds. A vision that sits at the heart of Contacto Atlântico’s approach as a leading architecture firm, both in Portugal and beyond its borders.
