Theme lead

Professor Ana Costa

Professor of Sustainable Architecture

I studied architecture in Porto, in an inspiring building designed by Alvaro Siza Vieira. I worked as an architect as a freelancer and in different practices. I value the impact of place in architecture and how architecture can improve our life quality and create a perfect harmony between body, mind, and space.

As an architect and Passivhaus designer, my work has been internationally recognized (Mies van der Rohe Award 2015 & ECOLA Award 2015). I have designed, lead, managed and coordinated architectural projects (public and private clients) of different scales, with several different environmental demands and stages of the design process. Currently designing my little Passivhaus!

As an architectural educator, I like to stimulate students’ creativity and critical thinking, ultimately enabling them to be resilient and problem-solving professionals. I’m always willing to improve my teaching practices, learn from you, and empower you to be better architects than I am!

My current research focuses on Material Reuse and Materials Passports to enable circular economy solutions in construction. Complementary, I am interested in the design of learning and teaching spaces and how architecture can enhance our learning experience.