Lisbon School of Architecture, Lisbon University

Mission Statement

The Lisbon School of Architecture of Lisbon University (FAULisbon) offers degree-conducting studies in three cycles of higher education (undergraduate, master's, and doctorate) in the scientific areas of Architecture, Urbanism, and Design. Currently, the FAULisbon is committed to training professionals capable of working with Portuguese society, contributing to increase its potential for innovation, competitiveness, and exporting. For this reason, it favours the development of projects, scientific dissertations, as well as studies in collaboration with public and private entities, in order to foster entrepreneurship and open future opportunities for students..

The training in the 3rd cycle is directed towards advanced research in three disciplinary areas of the FAULisbon, framed by the Research Centre for Architecture, Urbanism and Design (CIAUD). CIAUD involves twenty-seven trans and interdisciplinary Research Groups, affiliating researchers in a way suitable to conduct specialized work in their main fields of expertise and to provide the necessary experience to foster scientific, technological and artistic knowledge in priority areas of public interest, as architecture, urbanism, design and ergonomics.

CIAUD technical resources include independent supporting secretariat, Library/ Media, Audio-Visual Centre, Cartography Centre, Data-Processing Centre, Copying Centre, Workshops and Labs (3D Digitization, LPR-Rapid Prototyping, 3D Scanning Lab, Lafis, Colour Lab, Textile Development Lab, ErgoLAB).

International Role

The Faculty collaborates with foreign universities mostly from Europe and Brazil. In the specific case of Brazil that occurs with a special focus in PhD programs since we have established several co-tutelage protocols – to have a double degree agreement to our PhD students. Furthermore, we have more than 45 agreements under the Erasmus + programme (see: https://www.fa.ulisboa.pt/images/2021/Noticias_-_anexos/Lista_de_Escolas_Erasmus_21-22_2%C2%AA_Fase.pdf )  and over 25 agreements  outside europe (see: https://www.fa.ulisboa.pt/images/2021/Noticias_-_anexos/Lista_de_Escolas_Outros_Protocolos_21-22_2%C2%AA_Fase.pdf )
 

National Role

FA and in special the Design Department collaborates with the net of Schools that have design education programs such as Universidade de Aveiro; Universidade Europeia-IADE, Universidade do Algarve, Universidade de Évora, Universidade do Minho, Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco (we have 2 Masters in Association); Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo; Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e Ave; Instituto Politécnico de Tomar (we have a specific protocol for teachers exchange) among others.  Regarding the collaboration with other stakeholders we have a strong connection supported by work protocols  with Lisbon Municipality and the municipalities of surrounding areas and with the Association of municipalities (AML) – participating in the creation of participatory budgeting projects and projects BIP-ZIP – projects for priority intervention neighbourhods – priority intervention areas; with institutions such as Santa Casa da Misericórdia –  a private institution of public administrative utility that has guided its performance, in the community, by the defense of priceless social values, in a perspective of proximity, respect and advocacy for good causes. (see: https://en.scml.pt/ ) several companies such as Vista Alegre (https://vistaalegre.com/pt ), Secil (https://www.secil-group.com/a-secil/?lang=en ) , SPV (sociedade Ponto verde – https://www.pontoverde.pt/en/ ) as well as a multitude of associations from the 3rd sector.
 

Main Focus

Our focus in on the development of education in design at the 3 levels – 1st cycle, 2nd cycle and 3rd cycle – graduation, master and PhD – targeting product, interaction, communication and fashion Design. Since we have in our faculty the programs of integrated masters and PhD in architecture, in urbanism and in rehabilitation, we benefit from working "from the scale of the hand to the scale of the city" both in terms of education and in terms of research.