The depA collective was created in Porto, in 2009. It is now run by Carlos Azevedo, João Crisóstomo, and Luís Sobral, and its staff covers the areas of architecture and the social sciences. The depA is focused on researching architectural practice through active listening to the idiosyncrasies of each project. There is a specific commitment to the dimension of time in the interventions, ranging from the interpretation of existing structures and architectural heritage to the open and progressive reintegration of spatial systems.
Some examples are: the Casa da Cultura de Pinhel, which won the 1st Prize for Best Work on Museography and an honorable mention by the Associação Portuguesa de Museologia (2016); the Casa do Rosário, which won a Concreta Under 40 Award (2017), an honorable mention at the Nuno Teotónio Pereira Awards (2019), and at the João de Almada Awards (2019); the Pavilhão do Lago, winner of the FAD Awards (2018); the Casa Conde Alto Mearim, winner of the Interior Prize at the HÄUSER Awards (2022); the books In Conflict, finalists at the International FAD Awards (2022); and, the Hospital Veterinário de Coimbra, winner of the Architecture Award at the Municipal Diogo de Castilho Awards (2023).
The depA also received special recognition in the World Cultural Council Award 2022, in the Arts category. Alongside this, depA seeks to keep its practices and investigations relevant by taking part in competitions, which are special moments for wide-ranging and compelling research. Among them is the first place for designing the Santiago Ydañez Museum of Contemporary Art (2010), in Jaén, Spain; the second place in the public tender for the renewal of Quinta de Baixo (2014), in Porto; the first place for designing the Mechanised Pedestrian Walkways (2017), in collaboration with Pablo Pita architects, which will connect the riverside area of Porto to the upper town; and, the first place for the project for the Residência de Estudantes Luís de Camões of the University of Coimbra (2023).
This collective has also designed more artistically focused projects that challenge the approach to architectural techniques, as well as being catalysts to a more pluralistic and cross-disciplinary conceptualization. In 2018, the depA was invited to design the scenography of the Fórum do Futuro, and the Pavilhão do Lago built at the Serralves Park, as part of the 32nd Bienal de São Paulo, titled Incerteza Viva. This collective was also selected to be exhibited at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition, as part of La Biennale di Venezia, (2018). Sulco (2019) is part of the project Desencaminharte, which recognizes and values artistic production in the Alto Minho region of Portugal. Alongside these projects, depA has also closely worked with Daniel Steegman, Lais Myrrha, and Dayana Lucas, to produce their projects.
In 2021, depA represented Portugal by curating the project In Conflict at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.
