Fernando P. Ferreira (Architectural Design MPhil/PhD, 2024) is curating Shape of Neighbourhood, a major architecture and art festival taking place in Braga, Portugal, from June to November 2025.
The festival forms part of Braga 25 Portuguese Capital of Culture, a year-long initiative celebrating Portuguese artistic creation. Working with Daniel Duarte Pereira as the research duo Space Transcribers, Fernando has developed a programme examining urban expansion and neighbourhood transformation over five decades of Portuguese democracy.
Fernando completed his PhD at The Bartlett School of Architecture, supervised by Professor Yeoryia Manolopoulou and Dr Nina Vollenbroker. His doctoral thesis, ‘Factory of Stories: An Architectural Texere from Vale do Ave’, explored how textile-making, storytelling and architecture can offer innovative research methodologies for reimagining post-industrial sites in Portugal.
Workshop in Parretas, Portugal. Credit: Tiago Lopes
Workshop - Makro. Credit: Rafael Farias
Fernando Ferreira and Daniel Duarte Pereira. Credit: Liliana Fontoura
Shape of Neighbourhood features eight temporary architectural installations across Braga's residential areas and urban gardens, designed by practices from Portugal, Spain and Cape Verde. These will host neighbourhood activations by guest artists using walking practices, participatory workshops, performances and collective meals.
Participating architects include Manuel Bouzas, co-curator of the Spanish Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, alongside Parto Atelier, Patrícia da Silva, Nuno Melo Sousa, ATA Atelier, LIMIT Architecture Studio, RAM and Atelier Local.
The festival opens on 31 May 2025 with a public bus tour of the installations, accompanied by the curators and participating architecture teams. The first activation takes place on 7 June in the Fujacal neighbourhood. By focusing on areas outside Braga's historic centre, the festival creates an alternative cultural map celebrating neighbourhoods as vital spaces for connection and experimentation with new ways of living together.
Read more
- View the Shape of Neighbourhood website
- Read Dr Fernando P. Ferreira’s PhD thesis: Factory of Stories: An Architectural Texere from Vale do Ave
- Find out more about PhD study at The Bartlett School of Architecture
Images:
Lead image: Workshop, Fontainhas. Credit: João Versos Roldão
Gallery image 1: Workshop, Parretas. Credit: Tiago Lopes
Gallery image 2: Workshop, Makro. Credit: Rafael Farias
Gallery image 3: Portrait of Fernando Ferreira and Daniel Duarte Pereira. Credit: Liliana Fontoura