Intro Vasco Matias Correia and Patrícia Sousa founded Camarim in 2007 with the ambition of creating spatial solutions that make life easier and rewarding. Our work has attracted the attention of magazines, books, documentaries and universities from several countries from America to Asia. We believe this acknowledgement is due to the energy that we invest in the conception and details of all our projects. Ethos We operate on a wide range of design briefs, budgets and scales on new buildings, existing buildings and product design. We approach each project as an opportunity to explore new solutions according to the client’s brief. We are steered by a sensitivity to the physical and cultural context. We aim to design systems that are durable, functional, flexible, energy-efficient, beautiful and timeless. We seek materials and spaces that produce, in addition to a visual experience, an acoustic, aromatic and tactile experience that evolves throughout the day, the seasons and life, as a living organism. Approach We work closely with clients, engineers, contractors and end users in a participatory production process so that each project converges into a holistic solution – informed, intelligent and innovative – that generates the best value out of the available resources. We take building codes into consideration from the outset and arrange regular meetings with planning authorities to ensure swift and effectual processes. We continuously monitor the budget so that there is as little variation as possible from preliminary budget to the final cost. We detail tender documentation to the point where every component - from each material specification down to the position of every light switch – is sturdily controlled. We stay actively involved throughout the whole process - including construction - to ensure that the final work stays true to the original vision.