The Best Architect in Porto

We are about 1/2 complete with the construction of the house/bar, and it seems like a good time to reflect on the people and companies that have helped us.  I plan to do a few of these posts because we've got a great team. I will start with the architect.

First, the Architect

The importance of a good architect cannot be overstated.  While it is technically possible to build without professional architecture, the maze of modern regulations, and requirements make it inadvisable, and even putting aside the regulatory requirements, the art of architecture should not be ignored. That said, because architecture is a delicate balance between art and real world practicality, finding a good architect is critical.  We were lucky to find a GREAT architect, João Fonseca and his firm Arquitetura e Design Lda..

I cannot say enough to recommend João. His technical competence, ability to navigate the approval process, and work to a schedule are noteworthy, but his real value came in his design ability. João took the time to really understand the project, and worked with us to find the best use for the space available. The design process was a collaboration between us and João, but without his experience, knowledge and guidance, we could have easily overlooked important elements. João brought to the discussion considerations of light and layout that will have sublime effects on the final product. Of course the final result is still coming together, but I believe this space will have an effect on people when they visit our bar.  Our discussions encompassed subtle elements that may not be noticed directly by our clients, but WILL have an impact on them.  This is going to be a special place, and we couldn't have done it without João.

João presents TerraModel

We have several engineers on the project too, and João took on the task of coordinating all their work to create the final plan and specification for construction. The construction plan created by Joao and the engineers runs to several hundred pages and is unbelievably detailed. I will write a separate post plugging our engineering team because they have also done great work.

At less then 5% of the overall value of construction, we found João's fees to be very reasonable. Of course, we saw it as a necessary expense, but now I can see that actually, João has SAVED far more money for us then we payed him! The degree of detail he supplied in the plan allowed us to press the contractors for the best price during the bid phase, and it also made it possible to have a fixed price contract for construction. Another big saving came during the approval process where João's ability and persistence navigating the process shaved months in time (which translates to a lot of money). Of course these savings are hard to quantify, but don't worry, I have an example (among quite a few) that saved actual euros:

When excavating the space for the the bathrooms which are being built into a cutaway section of our garden, the contractors encountered a massive rock. At the exact moment the contractor was explaining to me that this was an exceptional circumstance that would require him to bring in more equipment and manpower (and charge me extra for it), João pulled out the specification and showed us the exact section where it stated that any rocks encountered in the excavation were the responsibility of the contractor, not us. The contractor just shrugged his shoulders and got to work with the jackhammers, and I paid nothing extra.

Rock query at no extra charge.

João has been our advocate, he spends a lot of time on the site with us, and he admittedly refuses to let anyone take a Euro out of our pocket!