Casa da Arquitectura

What Casa da Arquitectura does

Casa da Arquitectura is a Portuguese non-profit cultural association (ACA – Associação Casa da Arquitetura) founded in 2007 and headquartered in Matosinhos, Portugal. It is the only institution in Portugal dedicated to preserving, treating, disseminating, and promoting authors and national architectural production. Its core operations revolve around a unique architectural archive comprising 14 collections, more than 2,000 projects donated by approximately 230 architects or heirs, and physical holdings of more than 25,000 analogue drawings, around 850 models, more than 30,000 analogue photographic records, more than 100,000 digital documents, and 120 linear metres of textual documentation spanning 1900 to the present. The collection includes first deposits from Pritzker laureates Álvaro Siza, Eduardo Souto de Moura, Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Lucio Costa, and Rafael Moneo, as well as the world's most significant collection of Brazilian architecture outside Brazil.

The institution runs an integrated portfolio of programming built on this archive. Core products include rotating exhibitions (e.g., the Lucio Costa Arquivo exhibition through September 2026), the Álvaro Siza Itinerary of guided building visits in Matosinhos, a year-round Educational Service comprising school workshops (€2-€6 per participant), family workshops, summer programmes (€100-€160 per week), inclusive programmes such as Feeling Architecture and Young Ambassadors of Architecture, and Architectural Exploration Backpacks for children aged 5-12. The Studies and Documentation Centre supports academic research through an FCT-funded PhD scholarship programme (10 scholarships per edition, 2025 and 2026) and Casa Residences in Álvaro Siza's family house. Commercial offerings include event venue hire of the Tanoaria (535 m²), Depósito de Vinhos (250 m²), and 3,450 m² of outdoor squares, plus a globally accessible e-commerce store. The underlying technology stack is a conventional web platform spanning casadaarquitectura.pt, loja.casadaarquitectura.pt, arquivo.casadaarquitectura.pt, tours.casadaarquitectura.pt, and exposicoesvirtuais.casadaarquitectura.pt, with ByMe/Blueticket as the third-party ticketing partner.

The business model is a hybrid of earned income and institutional subsidy. Earned revenue comes from ticket sales (€5-€10), venue hire, retail, workshops, archive reproduction services, and the "Amigos da Casa" membership programme. This is supplemented by a multi-tier patronage scheme (Casa Patron, Space Patron, Exhibition Patron, Activity Patron), corporate sponsors (BPI/Fundação Bancária La Caixa as main sponsor; Amorim, CEIIA, CIN, Fidelidade, Secil, Super Bock Group, MDS, Preceram, Indaqua, DCasa, Geoinvestimentos, Quinta Maria Isabel as minor mecenas), and public support from the Portuguese Ministry of Culture, Câmara Municipal de Matosinhos, DGArtes/RPAC, and ERDF/Portugal 2020 structural funds (€648,441.82 of ERDF support awarded for the 2021-2023 internationalisation project). The primary customer segments are schools and educational institutions, the general public and architecture enthusiasts, researchers and academics, and corporate and institutional event clients; patrons and sponsors form a parallel funding constituency. The governing body was renewed in April 2026 with Pedro Violas as Chair of the Board for a four-year term (2026-2029), the institution employs approximately 53 staff, and operations are led by Executive Director and Chief Curator Nuno Sampaio.

Name

Casa da Arquitectura

Legal name

ACA – ASSOCIAÇÃO CASA DA ARQUITETURA

Website

https://casadaarquitectura.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Casa da Arquitectura is a Portuguese non-profit cultural institution and the only national body preserving and promoting Portuguese architectural production through a unique archive, public exhibitions, educational programmes, FCT-funded PhD research, and venue hire, serving schools, families, researchers, the general public, and corporate event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Archive and Cultural Heritage Centre

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110), Libraries and Archives (51921), Historical Sites (712120)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation (BPAGAHAE), Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

Keywords

• Architectural archive services
• Cultural exhibitions programming
• Architecture education programmes
• Event venue rental
• PhD research scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Matosinhos

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticketing and admission: Revenue from ticket sales for Casa da Arquitetura exhibitions and access to the gallery. General admission €10; Casa Gallery €5; discounts for students, seniors, and BPI customers.
2. Event venue hire: Rental of event spaces (outdoor squares, Tanoaria hall, Depósito de Vinhos) for conferences, dinners, presentations, and concerts. Multi-purpose spaces with audiovisual equipment.
3. Membership programme (Amigos da Casa): Annual membership/friends programme offering free exhibition access, guided visit access, and discounts on venue hire.
4. Retail (Loja): E-commerce store selling art and design products, books, and other merchandise.
5. Educational workshops and school programmes: Revenue from structured workshops for schools, families, and children (e.g., summer workshops, school workshops at €4–6 per participant).
6. Archive services and document reproduction: Paid services including large-format scanning, document disinfection, file custody and management, and licensing of reproductions.
7. Patronage and sponsorship: Private non-profit institution funded by patrons (Casa Patron, Space Patron, Exhibition Patron, Activity Patron) and institutional sponsors including the Portuguese government, Câmara Municipal de Matosinhos, BPI, and private companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Casa da Arquitectura is a private non-profit cultural institution that preserves, treats, and disseminates Portuguese architectural heritage through a permanent archive, rotating exhibitions, educational programmes, and PhD research support. It also generates commercial revenue via ticketed public access, guided tours, event venue hire, and a curated e-commerce store selling architecture-related books and design products.

Product overview

Casa da Arquitetura is a Portuguese Centre for Architecture operating as a cultural institution with multiple interconnected offerings. The core portfolio includes physical exhibitions (Casa da Arquitetura Exhibitions) displaying architectural collections and temporary shows; educational programs (Educational Workshops, School Visits, Young Ambassadors of Architecture, Feeling Architecture inclusive program, Architectural Exploration Backpacks); architectural tours (Álvaro Siza Itinerary Tours); research initiatives (Doctoral Scholarships Program, Casa Residences for researchers); archival services (Archive and Documentation Services); event venue hire (Tanoaria, Depósito de Vinhos, outdoor spaces); and e-commerce (Online Store for art, design, and books). The institution serves as both a museum and research center dedicated to preserving and promoting Portuguese and international architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Casa da Arquitetura Exhibitions Rotating exhibitions of Portuguese and international architectural works, collections and cultural programming, including the Lucio Costa Archive exhibition and thematic shows (e.g., Kengo Kuma). Open to general public with paid ticketing (€10 full admission, €5 Casa Gallery) and free entry on Sunday mornings.
• Educational Workshops Creative workshops for children and families including Summer Workshops (€100/half-week or €160/full-week), Family Workshops on Sundays (€3/participant), and School Workshops (€4 at venue, €6 at school, €2 online; minimum 10 participants). Activities involve drawing, painting, collage, model-making and artistic experimentation.
• School Visits and Educational Programmes Guided visits to Casa da Arquitetura and the Álvaro Siza Itinerary for schools at preschool, primary and secondary levels, plus the Young Ambassadors of Architecture volunteer programme for ages 15–23. Designed for teachers booking via [email protected].
• Archive and Documentation Services Paid services including large-format scanning, document disinfection, archive custody and management, and licensing of reproductions from the 14 architectural collections held by the institution.
• Álvaro Siza Itinerary Tours Guided tours of architect Álvaro Siza's works in Matosinhos — including Boa Nova Tea House, Tidal Swimming Pool, Quinta da Conceição Swimming Pool and Roberto Ivens House. Individual visits €12 (5–25 participants); General Pack €45 (full Siza itinerary + Casa + exhibitions). Discounts for students, seniors, children under 12 and Casa Friends.
• Doctoral Scholarships Programme Annual competition for 10 PhD research scholarships in architecture, urbanism and territory, funded by FCT under a Collaboration Protocol for the Multi-Annual Plan of Research Grants for Doctoral Students. Awarded across multiple editions with focus on Casa's archives and collections.
• Casa Residences Temporary residency space in Álvaro Siza's family house (Rua Roberto Ivens, n.º 582, Matosinhos) for researchers, curators and architects working on projects related to the institution and its collections. Previously served as Casa da Arquitetura's first headquarters before the move to Real Vinícola.
• Event Venue Hire Rental of three event spaces for conferences, dinners, presentations, concerts and cultural events: Tanoaria (535 m²), Depósito de Vinhos (250 m²) and outdoor squares totalling 3,450 m². Includes audiovisual equipment and staff support; commercial hire managed via [email protected].
• Casa da Arquitetura Online Store (Loja) E-commerce storefront selling art and design objects, architecture-related books/livraria and merchandise. Operates globally via web store and also serves as the gateway to the Amigos da Casa membership programme.
• Architectural Exploration Backpacks Free-to-use educational resource for children aged 5–12 containing activities, drawing materials and fun artefacts that encourage creative discovery of architecture. Distributed by the Educational Service.
• Feeling Architecture Inclusive visit programme for audiences with visual impairments or low vision and sighted people, exploring architecture through tactile scale models drawn from Casa's collections.
• Young Ambassadors of Architecture Volunteer and vocational development programme for young people aged 15–23, promoting involvement in architecture-related cultural dissemination projects. Operated by the Educational Service.
• Amigos da Casa Membership Programme Annual subscription programme (Friends of Casa da Arquitetura) offering free exhibition access, free guided visits and discounts on venue hire. Patron tiers — Casa Patron, Space Patron (Archive, Educational Service), Exhibition Patron, Activity Patron — provide VAT-exempt donations and visibility.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14 collections, 2,000+ projects, ~230 donors since 2018
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• República Portuguesa – Ministério da CulturacoreOthersPortuguese Ministry of Culture is an institutional partner of Casa da Arquitectura, providing recognition and ongoing state support. The institution has received yearly recognition of Cultural Interest from the Portuguese State.
• DGartes / Rede Portuguesa de Arte ContemporâneacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Portuguese contemporary art network (RPAC), supported by DGartes. Provides national cultural network integration and visibility.
• Câmara Municipal de MatosinhoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner of Casa da Arquitectura. Municipality owns and transferred the Álvaro Siza family house (Casa's Residences) and Real Vinícola building. Joint partner of Prémio Fernando Távora.
• FLIP – Festa Literária Internacional de ParatyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCasa FLIP + CASA DA ARQUITETURA partnership announced for the parallel programme of the 24th Paraty International Literary Festival (July 2026). Strengthens dialogue between literature, architecture, and contemporary thought.
• Moreira Salles Institute (Brazil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted the ceremony awarding Honorary Associate title to donors of the Brazilian Architecture Collection in November 2018. Collection arrived in Matosinhos on 7 August 2017.
• CICA International Committee of Architectural CriticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCICA 2026 – International Conference on Architectural Criticism will be hosted at Casa da Arquitectura on 10–11 and 17–18 October 2026, themed 'Architectural Criticism: Resistance and Commitment'.
• Fundação Marques da SilvaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-partner of the Prémio Fernando Távora alongside Casa da Arquitectura and Câmara Municipal de Matosinhos.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MAXXI – National Museum of 21st Century Arts: Italy's national museum of contemporary architecture and art in Rome. Operates exhibitions, archives and educational programmes dedicated to architecture and design, with similar curatorial and research functions as Casa.
• Architekturzentrum Wien (Az W): Vienna's architecture museum and exhibition centre hosting permanent collections, temporary exhibitions, and educational programmes about Austrian and international architecture. Comparable in scale, mission and archive/exhibition hybrid model.
• Storefront for Art and Architecture: New York non-profit dedicated to architecture and design through exhibitions and public programmes. Peer in operating model (small non-profit, exhibitions + public programmes focused on architecture).
• The Drawing Center: New York's non-profit museum dedicated to drawing as a primary medium. Comparable in non-profit cultural institution structure with curatorial programming and educational outreach, although narrower medium focus.
• Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA): A non-profit architecture museum and research centre in Montreal that collects, preserves and exhibits architectural archives and holds major scholar-in-residence programmes. CCA is the closest direct peer to Casa da Arquitectura in mission, archival collection model and educational programming.

Broad incumbents

• Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A): A large, established museum with an extensive architecture and design collection and archives department. Operates as a broad incumbent in museum/architecture space, much larger in scale than Casa but overlapping in collection/educational mission.
• Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian: Major Portuguese non-profit foundation with significant art collection, exhibitions and cultural programming. Comparable as a Portuguese non-profit cultural institution with broad arts programming and corporate sponsorship base.

Others

• Fundación Arquitectura y Sociedad: Spanish non-profit foundation focused on promoting architectural culture through research, publications and events. Adjacent thematically to Casa's mission of disseminating architecture, though with a less archive-centric model.

Regional players

• Fundación ICO / Museo ICO (Madrid): Madrid-based architecture and photography non-profit programming institution with archives and exhibitions. Comparable peer operating a similar archive-plus-exhibitions model in a different Spanish-speaking geography.
• Fundación Proa (Buenos Aires): Buenos Aires contemporary art and architecture non-profit foundation with exhibitions, educational programmes and an international partner network. A regional peer with similar non-profit structure and curatorial mission in Latin America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/casa_arqui
• Facebookfacebook.com/casadaarquitetura.pt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/casa-da-arquitectura
• Instagraminstagram.com/casa.da.arquitetura

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Casa da Arquitectura