Miguel Ibraim da Rocha grew up surrounded by construction sites and carpentry workshops, a direct legacy of the company his family built over more than half a century. Today, this practical background is reflected in the identity of the work of the founding architect of the UNUM studio: a rigorous, functional, and authentic architecture.
“I believe that architecture is an active instrument in shaping how a society builds and lives,” explains Miguel Ibraim da Rocha in an interview with idealista/news. With remarkable projects such as the Casa da Democracia Local in Valongo, the Metyis building in Gondomar, and the University Residence in Aveiro, the UNUM studio has been making a name for itself, combining technical precision with a constant pursuit of beauty and the human meaning of space.
“Good architecture is the one that responds to the function for which it was designed. It may have different shapes and styles, but essentially, it must serve the people who inhabit it — whether residents, workers, or visitors.”
This is a conversation about the family legacy that inspired him, the value of authenticity in design, the challenges of good architecture, and the ambition behind future projects.
Casa da Democracia Local in Valongo
Casa da Democracia Local de Valongo unum
What led you to architecture?
That’s an interesting question. For 50 years, my family had a construction company — not only a builder, but also a developer of its own projects. From a very young age, I was born into this world of construction and wood. My father was well known in carpentry, which was the company’s main area. My earliest memories are linked to that: the construction site, the smell of the work, the sound of tools. Architecture came naturally, as a consequence of that childhood and youth so connected to the world of building. As an adult, after having also worked in the family company, starting out as an architect was a logical, almost inevitable step.
There is a very recognizable signature in your work. Do you feel you already have your own identity?
That’s a compliment for which I’m grateful. Architects like to be recognized by a particular trait, and if someone outside the studio identifies that line, it’s a good sign. We always try to maintain formal coherence — a clear line that distinguishes us. Projects like the Casa da Democracia Local in Valongo, the Metyis building in Gondomar, or the university residence in Aveiro do, in fact, share something. They are very different buildings — one more organic, another more regular — but there is always a language that unites them. That identity is the result of a constant search for authenticity in our architecture, shared by the entire team.
Casa da Democracia Local de Valongo (under construction)
Casa da Democracia Local de Valongo | unum
What is “good architecture” to you?
Good architecture is the one that responds to the function for which it was designed. It may have different shapes and styles, but essentially it must serve the people who inhabit it — whether residents, workers, or visitors. I often say that architecture is at the center of people’s lives: we are always inside a building, whether it’s a house, an office, or a public space. When a building fulfills its function and, at the same time, has its own identity — reflecting the vision and thought of the person who designed it — then we are looking at good architecture. And there is, of course, the element of “beauty.” Function is essential, but beauty is too. When beauty and function come together, we have, in my view, true architecture.
Metyis Building
Edifício Metyis unum
You mentioned the Casa da Democracia Local and Metyis. Which projects do you consider the most significant in the studio’s history?
The Metyis building in Gondomar is one of our greatest sources of pride. It is a digital campus, very formally regular, because the client wanted a symmetrical building, one with strong impact and harmony. The result was very positive: the first phase is already completed, and the project has received three international awards. It’s recognition that makes us very proud, because it comes from outside — it is society validating our work.
But there is another building that has profoundly marked us: the Casa da Democracia Local in Valongo, the new City Hall. It is the opposite of METYIS — it was born from an organic form, inspired by a fossil, a trilobite, and it features curves and lines that express the concept of local democracy, of the public square, of encounter. It is still under construction, but it is a project that moves us, and we believe it will leave a mark on the city and the Northern region.
And what about the future? Which projects excite you at the moment?
We are currently working on many residential buildings. Among the projects underway, I highlight two buildings in Gaia, each with around twenty floors. It is a completely new challenge — residential towers are not very common in the North, unlike in Lisbon. This scale forces us to rethink everything: the structure, the way of inhabiting, the urban impact. It’s a project that is mobilizing the entire team, and one we approach with great ambition — we want it to maintain the balance between function, beauty, and identity, which is what defines our work.
Metyis Building
Edifício Metyis unum
Good architecture is the one that responds to the function for which it was designed. It may have different shapes and styles, but essentially, it must serve the people who inhabit it — whether residents, workers, or visitors.