Aethos Ericeira - New Hotel Project
September 9th, 2022
With a unique location on the edge of a cliff and within a protected area, the challenge of this design was to bring new life to an existing building that had undergone several changes
and extensions over many decades.
The important architectural question at the beginning of the design process was how to restore this building, filtering out what remains as crucial to its identity and what needs to be
removed. The end result was to be a contemporary building by today's standards, but at the same time keeping its legacy alive.
We did this by re-organising the facades and creating a hierarchy, where some features prevailed over others. The original sections of the building, which had lost their sense of “mass”
were restored by emphasising the main shapes, roofs, and arches and reimagining the existing, but not original, window layout and details. Later extensions to the building, not matching its
original architectural language, were subject to deeper intervention, and clearly differentiated with a contrasting cladding of wooden slats. Besides the visible result of its exterior, the
interior of the building also underwent a significant change, making it more functional and effective for the use of a Hotel
Raising the right questions and identifying the architectural challenge resulted in a building that responds to its new use and we couldn't be happier with the result.
More information coming soon.
Three-time finalist Pedra Silva Arquitectos crowned winner at Surface Design Awards 2021
February 23rd, 2021
Pedra Silva Arquitectos has been crowned winner of the ‘Public Building Interior’ category of the 2021 Surface Design Awards.
The Portuguese design house reached the finals in three separate categories at this year’s event - widely recognised as a reference for the global architecture industry.
The Surface Design Awards aims to recognise and celebrate the best use of innovative surface materials in architecture and design from across the world. It attracted more than
110 entries from 15 countries.
PSA Founder and Managing Partner Luis Pedra Silva said: "This is the first time we have entered the Surface Design Awards and we're naturally thrilled to have made three separate
shortlists and scooped the prize for 'Public Building Interior'.
"The Maida Smiles Project helps illustrate our unique and personal approach, with a firm emphasis on collaborative design and transparent working relationships with clients. We
worked very closely with the Maida Smiles dental team to make their vision a reality.
"Like many of our projects we also partnered with local artisans to provide an intimate and bespoke design solution, involving acute attention to detail. This is part of our broader
mission to create spaces which genuinely fulfill their purpose and contribute to the wellbeing of those who occupy them."
Global healthcare design specialist PSA also reached the finals of the ‘Light & Surface Interior’ and ‘Commercial Building Interior’ categories.
This year's judging panel was chaired by Nicola Osborn, Basha-Franklin and Steve Webb, Webb Yates Engineers. Their fellow judges were: Joseph Henry, Greater London Authority;
Kresse Wesling MBE, Elvis & Kresse; Lee Mainwaring, Architecture Initiative; Nic Fallows, BNF Capital; Sarah Castle, IF_DO and Sofia Steffenoni and Simona Auteri, Matter of Stuff.
The event was live streamed from London as part of the Surface Design Trends presentation.
The 2021 Awards’ Partners included The Business Design Centre, Vitra, British Institute of Interior Design, The Institution of Lighting Professionals, Armourcoat, Mass Concrete
and USM.
PSA project nominated for 'Building of Year 2021' on world leading architecture platform
February 8th, 2021
A Pedra Silva Arquitectos project featuring a new, state-of-the-art dental clinic in London, UK, has been nominated for 'Building of the Year 2021' by global publisher ArchDaily.
Click here to show your support and vote for our Maida Smiles
Dental Clinic project.
The progressive and innovative design, which mirrors the advanced cosmetic dental service, has been recognised as a stand-out global healthcare project, alongside other entries
from Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Brazil, France, China, Switzerland, Thailand, Haiti and India.
Archdaily is considered a reference for the global architecture space, being the most visited architecture site in the world. The ethos behind the 'Building of the Year' Award
is to engage its massive following, and the largest community of architects on the internet.
With 15 separate categories, voting remains open for a two week period for visitors to reward the best projects published on the platform over the last 12 months.
PSA Founder and Managing Partner Luis Pedra Silva said: "This is another terrific endorsement for our Maida Smiles project which has attracted a large amount of attention over
the last 10 months. Healthcare is a key market for Pedra Silva Arquitectos where we've managed to build a global portfolio over the last two decades. We are thrilled to receive
this level of recognition from ArchDaily which is held in high regard across our industry, and helps demonstrate the expertise and passion we have for our work.
"The Maida Smiles concept was uniquely intricate involving more than 1600 individually handcrafted ceramic discs, for our honeycomb cluster ceiling-to-floor wall design. We
collaborate with a network of craftspeople around the world and adopt artisan practices in many of our projects to provide an original signature mark. A clean, clinical and sophisticated
edge was also crucial in line with the brand identity.
"Further design within the actual dental theatres also required a strong technical understanding of workflow, equipment and medical procedures - an important skill set we have
developed over much time, which has played a fundamental role in our international growth."
For more information on the Maida Smiles project visit our project page
For more information on Archdaily visit https://www.archdaily.com/
PSA reaches three shortlists at Surface Design Awards 2021
January 18th, 2021
Pedra Silva Arquitectos has been shortlisted in multiple categories of the 2021 Surface Design Awards!
The event attracted more than 100 entries from 8 countries around the world - so we are thrilled to be named finalists in three separate categories, including Light & Surface
Interior, Public Building Interior and Commercial Building Interior. Winners will be announced on February 11.
All applications relate to our design of London-based Maida Smiles Dental Clinic, which delivers world-class cosmetic dentistry and facial aesthetics. The design took
inspiration from our interpretation of ceramic dental implants which are commonly used in restorative dentistry. This took the form of more than 1600 hand-crafted ceramic discs
which cover the walls in a honeycomb-style cluster. Another key aspect involved the technical side of the design within the actual dental theatre, where we have developed a deep
understanding of workflow, equipment and procedures.
The Surface Design Awards recognise and celebrate the best use of innovative surface materials in architecture and design from across the globe. Launched 8 years ago, the
awards are seen as a reference for the architecture and design industry, judged by leading designers in the industry.
Pedra Silva Arquitectos Highly Commended for ‘Best Practice Brand & Design’ at 2020 Private Dentistry Awards
December 21st, 2020
Pedra Silva Arquitectos (PSA) has been 'Highly Commended' in the 2020 Private Dentistry Awards.
After reaching the finals in two separate categories the Lisbon design studio clinched the Highly Commended award for 'Best Brand & Design' for its work involving Maida Smiles
Dental Clinic, in London.
The Private Dentistry Awards is one of the most prestigious industry events recognising excellence across the UK & Ireland. This year, award organisers received more
submissions than ever before, leading to a highly competitive shortlist process before final results were released in December. The best ‘Brand & Design’ category included 10
other finalists alone.
Founder Luis Pedra Silva said the team is thrilled to have received this commendation from the Private Dentistry Awards, which is regarded as the flagship event for the UK
dentistry sector. “PSA is a renowned healthcare sector specialist with a strong track record delivering projects across Europe, Africa and Australasia. The last time we entered
the Private Dentistry Awards was 10 years ago - when we secured ‘Best New Practice’ with Brighton Implant Clinic – so there’s a nice symmetry in receiving this accreditation a
decade on.
“It’s important to highlight this sort of recognition from third party experts as it underlines the depth of knowledge and experience, we have developed over the years. While
the aesthetics are important with any design, we have also developed a strong bank of technical expertise with solutions addressing workflow, equipment and procedures across
world-class surgical and operating areas. This technical element is a crucial part of our offer to the healthcare market.”
PSA’s design inspiration for Maida Smiles Dental Clinic is based around the theme of ceramic dental implants which are commonly used in restorative dentistry. This took the
form of more than 1600 hand-crafted ceramic discs which cover the walls in a honeycomb-style cluster, providing a modern, clean and clinical edge.
Meanwhile the Maida Smiles logo design is a reinterpretation of the act of laughing. This creates a story around the circle and the image of the smile. The design further
illustrates PSA’s passion to preserve artisan practices involving high skill craftmanship and its collaborative approach with artists from around the world.
Maida Smiles Clinic Founder and Principal Dentist Dr Pedro Gutierres said: “When we set up, we chose to invest significant sums to develop a design and brand which would
mirror our core values and advanced services. The delicate, bespoke design provides an indication of the attention to detail and personal focus given to each and every patient,
in turn highlighting Maida Smiles’ pursuit of clinical precision and excellence."
“The minimalist, free-flowing design further maximises space, with the custom-made ceramic wall and iconic furniture working in tandem to create a dynamic between surfaces,
light and reflection. It is incredibly satisfying to see our brand and design receiving this level of recognition after all the hard work dedicated to this project. We will
continue to strive for providing world-class dentistry, right here in the heart of London.”
The Private Dentistry Awards judges are made up of an independent panel of dental professionals.
PSA Founder and Principal Architect selected for prestigious FRAME Jury
December 3rd, 2020
PSA Founder and Principal Architect Luis Pedra Silva has been selected as a Jury Member for the highly prestigious FRAME Awards. Luis joins a panel of 15 international
architecture experts to adjudicate a series of leading projects from around the globe throughout the month of December.
As of September 2020, the FRAME awards made a bold step to become a more democratic and integral part of the global interior-design community. A jury panel of industry
stakeholders is now appointed each month to vote for 'Interiors of the Month' as well as highly commended projects.
The jury consists of a broad cross-section including designers, architects and planners, but also contractors, manufacturers, retailers, hospitality entrepreneurs, creative
directors, design managers and developers.
Luis said the appointment provides an excellent opportunity for Pedra Silva Architects to meet peers from around the globe, expand its network and become a fully-fledged part
of the Frame community. "I'm thrilled to be joining the December jury," he said. "This is a strong endorsement for Pedra Silva Architects and helps underline the calibre and
experience of our operation, which has been working internationally for almost two decades."
"The role will no doubt help increase visibility for our brand and provide a platform to express our opinions and share our thoughts from a professional perspective. FRAME is
a hugely important publication for the global architecture industry, setting the global agenda for spatial design. It's terrific to be part of that discussion."
New Associate Programme
September 11th, 2020
Pedra Silva Architects is proud to announce the creation of a new 'Associate Programme' promoting key members of staff to help direct and guide the firm. A total of five
team members have been awarded associate status due to long-standing commitment and service to the practice. They will now form a senior management core alongside founder and
managing director Luis Pedra Silva, helping drive a series of new and ambitious initiatives in the coming years. The associates will also crucially work together to promote
the ethos and integrity of the firm.
Our design studio thrives on creativity, innovation and collaboration which is all underpinned by solid teamwork. Our associate programme will help harness this energy and
propel the business moving forward. We believe in empowering valued team members - who have made our business the success it is today - by ensuring they are part of the
decision-making process. This will allow us to continue growing as a team and motivate our architects to think ambitiously about business growth in the next decade.
New associates include Irene Cunha, Ricardo Conceição, Bernardo Nadais, Joana Anjos and Inês Andrade.
About the Associates:
Irene Cunha graduated in Architecture from the Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade Técnica de Lisboa in 1997. Over the last 20 years she has gained
a wealth of experience across several sectors, including Mixed-use developments, Retail, Offices, Hospitality and Residential buildings. She joined PSA in 2016 as Lead
Architect and Practice Manager, working closely with clients to deliver projects from feasibility through construction. Irene is an integral member of the design development
team, ensuring that all designs meet and exceed our client's objectives.
Ricardo Conceição graduated in Architecture from the Universidade Moderna de Lisboa and has been with the office for the past 11 years. Before joining Pedra Silva
Arquitectos Ricardo collaborated with several offices between Lisbon and Barcelona. He was also an invited lecturer at PARQ – Architecture and Landscape Department, University
Vasco da Gama [Coimbra]. Ricardo has a wide experience of working on highly complex projects, where he brings great ingenuity and creativity, by developing strong client
service-oriented solutions with a pragmatic and creative vision. He has international experience in the Residential and Health Sectors, and he is currently leading the
Workplace and Offices design teams for international corporate clients, such as OLX and Google to name a few.
Bernardo Nadais joined the team in 2014 after completing a master's at the Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade de Lisboa. He is a key member of the
Visualization team and makes sure that each project is developed with the highest standards. Lately he has been responsible for the development of a number of Residential
projects, including a Luxury Villa in Moscow and Courtyard house in Lisbon, and is currently part of the team developing a five-star hotel in Ericeira.
Joana Anjos holds a master’s degree from the Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade de Lisboa.She joined the team in 2014 where she has developed a
niche working on High End luxury private houses and public infrastructure buildings, including the interiors of luxury apartments in Moscow, the Zero Museum and the award
winning offices of OLX in Lisbon. Joana is our in-house interiors expert and is responsible for the office's Interiors Department. All projects interior specifications have
been developed with her help. She is currently developing a private house in Algés, as well as supporting all other teams from the creative process to all phases of the
several projects under development.
Inês Andrade holds a master’s in Architecture from D’ Arq da FCT da Universidade de Coimbra, after completing an exchange program in Uruguay. She joined
Pedra Silva Arquitectos in 2017, with strong experience in residential housing and mid-scale hospitality markets. Inês has been deeply involved in the creative process of the
office projects, developing and creating different concepts for the OLX offices and more recently has been one of the Design Leads responsible for delivering the Google
spaces and Biogen Office in Lisbon.
Covid-19 Workspace Consultancy
September 10th, 2020
Pedra Silva Architects has launched a specialist 'Return-to Office' consultancy service in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Our team is working closely with clients
to optimise their workspaces and protect workforces while crucially maximising efficiency. We are now looking to share our bank of knowledge on 'post-Covid' workplace
strategies with firms operating in multiple sectors - including Commercial Office, Hospitality, Leisure, Retail, Dental and Health - to help adapt floorplans and create safe
and functional workspaces.
Since March 2020 we have witnessed a major shift in the importance of health and wellbeing in the workplace. This is now the top priority for almost all organisations from
SMEs to global corporates. The nature of this virus means organisations need to reconsider many aspects of their operation such as movement, density and shielding of people.
New measures we have introduced include special transit-zones adhering to 2-metre ‘safe distance’ rules. This covers primary and secondary circulation routes as well as
movement around workspaces and eating-areas. We have further designed systems to control office density with staff layout plans, space divisions and all necessary signage
instructions, with further measures to boost hygiene - particularly in areas such as elevators, toilets and gathering spaces.
Ultimately, these spaces need to be fluid and responsive to new working patterns and a more transient workforce. They must also be adaptable for different uses including
one-on-one meetings, brainstorming sessions, teamwork, conferences and networking events.
Fraunhofer Oporto Offices win 2016 Green Good Design Award
May 6th, 2016
We were once again awarded for the Fraunhofer Offices project in Oporto. The prize was announced by the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and the Chicago
Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, who chose the project as the winner of the 2016 Green GOOD DESIGN™ Award.
This is the eighth year that these institutions have developed this very specialized edition of the original GOOD DESIGN program, which was founded in Chicago in 1950 and remains the
oldest and most important Awards Program worldwide. For the 2016 Green GOOD DESIGN™ Award, hundreds of submissions from around the world were received. Members of The European Centre’s
International Advisory Committee—worldwide leaders in the design industry—served as the jury, and selected projects from the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urban
planning, product, packaging, and graphic design as outstanding examples of Green Design from 22 nations.
You can find more information about GOOD DESIGN™ and the Green GOOD DESIGN™ Award here.
Uralchem Headquarters is a Finalist for the 2016 Archdaily "Building of the Year" Award
January 6th, 2016
Uralchem Headquarters project, from Pedra Silva Arquitectos, is one of the finalists for the 2016 Archdaily "Building of the Year" Awards, Interior Architecture category.
This is the 7th edition of the Archdaily "Building of the Year" Awards, which recognizes and rewards the projects that are making an impact in the profession of Architecture. The
votes come from an unbiased, distributed network of jurors and peers that has elevated the most relevant projects over the past year.
After being selected from over 3000 projects, now there’s only five projects per each 14 categories. You can vote now for your favourite, until February 8th. The winner will be
announced on February 9th.
Although it has not been selected as a finalist, our Care Implant Dentistry project was also nominated for the award, in the Healthcare category.
You can find more information about the Archdaily "Building of the Year" Award and see all the finalists here.
Care Implant Dentistry wins "The Best of Asia Pacific Design" Award
December 21st, 2015
Our Care Implant Dentistry project in Sydney was the winner of The Best of Asia Pacific Design Awards 2015 in the category of Healthcare and the reception took place in Hong Kong on
the 10th December.
This is the 3rd annual edition of The Best Asia Pacific Design Awards, promoted by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the Commercial Interior Design association
that supports design professionals, industry affiliates, educators, students, firms and their clients through a network of more than 15,000 members across 58 countries.
The jury - Annie Chu, Primo Ophilla and Joey Shimoda - selected the winners from a shortlist. This award seeks to recognize and honour the highest level of creativity and design
excellence in Architecture and Interior Design projects in the Asia Pacific region.
You can learn more about the International Interior Design Association and the award here.
INSIDE World Festival of Interiors Awards
November 30th, 2015
Two of our projects, Uralchem Headquarters and Care Implant Dentistry, have been shortlisted for the INSIDE World Festival of Interiors Awards.
You can find more information on the INSIDE Festival and the awards here.
Uralchem Headquarters published in the book Custom Made Office 3
September 20th, 2015
Our project, Uralchem Headquarters, has been published in the workspace architecture and design book Custom Made Office 3, published by Design Vision International Publishing Co.
Honourable Mention for Uralchem Headquarters in The Plan Award 2015
May 21st, 2015
Pedra Silva Arquitectos won an Honourable Mention with their project Uralchem Headquarters in the Interiors category of The Plan Award 2015, organized by Italian Architecture
Magazine The Plan.
Perspective Europe 2015, the event where the awards ceremony was held, is an International Architecture Forum with more than 1000 professionals participating from all over the world.
The objective of the event is recognising and sharing quality architecture.
You can find out more about The Plan Magazine and the Award here.
Pedra Silva Arquitectos wins public competition to design new Digital Arts Centre
November 3rd, 2014
Pedra Silva Arquitectos won 1st place in the Public Design Competition for the Zer0 Museum: Digital Art Centre, in Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo, Algarve, Portugal.
You can see our proposal here.
Archdaily interview with Luis Pedra Silva
September 9th, 2012
Archdaily featured an interview with Luis Pedra Silva about our office, architecture and the current financial crisis in Portugal.
You can read the full interview on Archdaily here.
TV interview with Luis Pedra Silva in Porto Canal
March 22nd, 2012
Luis Pedra Silva gave an interview for Porto Alive!, on the Porto Canal TV network, concerning our recent Archdaily "Building of the Year" Award.
You can watch the full interview here.
Fraunhofer Oporto Offices win 2011 Archdaily "Building of the Year" Award
March 7th, 2012
This year’s Archdaily prize for "Building of the Year" in the Interiors category was given to Pedra Silva Arquitectos for the Fraunhofer Portugal Headquarters project. From an
initial group of about 400 proposed projects for the interior category, the final round was shared with four other projects (MTV, Red Bull, AOL and no Pic-Nic).
Archdaily is the world’s largest architecture publishing website, with about 200 thousand daily readers (350 million page views in 2011) and 467 thousand people following it on
Facebook and 60 thousand on Twitter, making it one of the leading architecture display platforms in the world today.
The Interiors category was one of the 14 existing categories running in the Archdaily "Building of The Year" Prize. Other categories winners included renowned architects, such as
OMA, Steven Holl, Schmidt Hammer architects, RO&AD, RARE and ACXT.
You can find more information on the award here.
Pedra Silva Arquitectos awarded Special Mention in EUROPAN 10 Competition
January 25th, 2010
Pedra Silva Arquitectos is among the list of awards for the EUROPAN 10 competition. The results were announced on January 18. Our proposal, “VORONOY FOOTPRINTS”, for the
Cascais-Cabreiro study area was awarded with a Special Citation by the jury.
You can find out more about EUROPAN and the competition here.
Brighton Implant Clinic awarded "Best New Dental Practice in the UK"
November 18th, 2009
Our office won the prize for “Best New Dental Practice in the UK” in the Private Dentistry Awards, with our project for the Brighton Implant Clinic. The award ceremony was held at
the intercontinental Hotel in London this year, where the national Private Dentistry Awards saw the largest turnout in their history.
You can find more information on the awards here.
