About

monade is a research, curatorial and publishing independent platform founded by architects dedicated to conceive and produce exquisite books on architecture, photography, art and thought.

monade has a strong international presence, distributing in the best bookshops in the world, such as Museum Pompidou Paris, Tate Modern London, ICA London, CCB Barcelona, Instituto Moreira Salles São Paulo, Alte Nationalgalerie Berlin, William Stout Books San Francisco, Walther König, GA Gallery Tokyo, etc.

Monade has been establishing partnerships for events and exhibitions with institutions such as Chicago Architecture Biennial, Canadian Centre for Architecture, Lisbon Architecture Triennale, Itaú Cultural Brazil, Fundação Gulbenkian, Fundação de Serralves, The Venice Architecture Biennale, ROLEX Art Institute, USI Mendrisio School of Architecture, GSAPP - Columbia University of Architecture.

Based in Lisbon, monade is founded and run by the architects:
Daniela Sá and João Carmo Simões

The Publishers

We believe that the book is a strong medium to express complex contents and relations. We believe that the silence of a book is a powerful medium in accelerated times. Working in close relation with architects, artists and writers, we are committed to create innovative books, pushing its limits. Each book is created with a particular attention to its details and form, as an opportunity of gathering relations with different disciplines and materials, widening possibilities of thought.

Daniela Sá

Publisher, Managing Director

.... (b. 1933, Matosinhos, Porto, Portugal) is one of the most acclaimed contemporary architects, the Pritzker Architectural Prize laureate in 1992, the architectural equivalent to the Nobel prize. A leading light of the Porto School, his work is recognised for its particular attention to the location, austere beauty and definition in the smallest details. Siza’s oeuvre began in 1954 with the Boa Nova Tea House (1958-1963) and the Leça Swimming Pool (1961-1966), but his international recognition was only achieved in the 1980s, designing buildings around the world. He is a recipient of the RIBA Royal Gold Medal (2008), Golden Lion of the Venice Biennale (2012) and the Mies van der Rohe Prize (1988). His experiments in social housing, with projects such as the SAAL housing developments following the revolution of April 1974 in Portugal, paved the way for his entry onto the international scene with buildings in Berlin, The Hague and Venice. His plan for the reconstruction of the centre of Lisbon / Chiado (1988), and designs for the Marco de Canavezes Church (1990- 1996), Portuguese Pavilion (1994-1998), Serralves Foundation Museum in Porto (1991-1999), Iberê Camargo Foundation in Brazil (1998-2008) and the 611 West 56th Street residential tower in New York (2016), reveal a modern architect firmly rooted in his country’s traditions with a particular respect for the customs and practices of his buildings’ locations.

.. (n. 1933, Matosinhos, Porto, Portugal) É um dos mais aclamados arquitectos contemporâneos, Pritzker Architectural Prize 1992. Figura cimeira da Escola do Porto, a sua obra reconhece-se na particular atenção ao lugar, numa austera beleza e na definição dos mais ínfimos pormenores. A obra de Álvaro Siza constrói-se a partir de 1954, com a Casa de Chá da Boa Nova (1958–1963) e a Piscina de Marés de Leça (1961–1966), mas será apenas nos anos 80 que Siza contará com um alargado reconhecimento internacional, desenhando edifícios por todo o mundo. RIBA Royal Gold Medal (2008), Leão de Ouro da Bienal de Arquitectura de Veneza (2012), Mies van der Rohe (1988). As suas experiências de habitação social com os projectos SAAL do período da revolução portuguesa de Abril, marcaram a entrada no panorama internacional com edifícios em Berlim, Haia e Veneza. O plano de reconstrução do centro de Lisboa / Chiado (1988), a Igreja do Marco de Canavezes (1990–1996), o Pavilhão de Portugal (1994–1998), o Museu da Fundação de Serralves, Porto (1991–1999), a Fundação Iberê Camargo, Brasil (1998– 2008), e a Torre Residencial, em Nova Iorque (2016), mostram-nos um arquitecto moderno, simultaneamente enraizado nas tradições do seu país e com uma atenção muito particular ao modo de fazer de cada local onde constrói.
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João Carmo Simões

Publisher, Editor

....(b. 1987, Lisboa, Portugal) master's degree in architecture at Da/UAL, Lisbon, after completing his master's degree in architecture at Da/UAL, Lisbon, he receives the National Secil Universities Award 2010.

Believing that the quality of the environment that surrounds us directly affects the quality of our lives, and driven by his passion for innovation and excellence, in 2012, he founded his studio in Lisbon. Among his projects are Villa Sombra in Alentejo, Turismo Rural Quinta de Lazarim in Douro, Villa Plié in Cascais, Janela para o Céu in the renowed chapel Capela do Rato in Lisbon, Casa Azul in Costa Nova, Apartamento Corpo Santo in Baixa Pombalina, Apartamento Lima in Cascais, Casa Photomaton in Oeiras and the project of requalification and expansion of the school complex of Colégio Infante D. Henrique, in Funchal.

His works were highlighted in Monocle magazine issue , in the book Portuguese Modern Apartments, and on referencial design websites. He is regularly invited to present his work at several universities.

Pursuing his thirst for knowledge, he worked with renowned architects such as Álvaro Siza, in Porto, or Paulo Mendes da Rocha, in São Paulo, editing books about their works and thought. His publications include: Civitas São Paulo, a journey through an idea of architecture in the city of São Paulo, through key works by architects such as Vilanova Artigas, Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Lina Bo Bardi or Oscar Niemeyer, distinguished for shortlist of the DAM - Deutsches ArchitekturMuseum Architectural Book Award for best architecture book of 2019; Designed Future / Paulo Mendes da Rocha the most complete anthology of texts by this architect; or the English edition Imagining The Evident / Álvaro Siza, distinguished as one of the best books of 2022 by Domus magazine .

He is founder of the publisher Monade books with a global reach, promoting excellence in architecture thinking and research. He was a member of the Portuguese Council of Architects, National Admissions Council and currently of the Board of General Assembly.

João is skipper, enjoys sailing and photography.

..(n. 1928, Vitória, Brasil), arquitecto. Considerado um dos mais talentosos arquitectos contemporâneos, Paulo Mendes da Rocha é figura cimeira da escola paulista, a par com o arquitecto Vilanova Artigas (1915-1985). As suas obras são uma incessante procura de modernidade, de desatar o nó esquizofrénico da divisão entre arquitectura e cidade, arte e técnica, arte e ciência. Em 2006, recebe o reconhecimento internacional com a atribuição do Pritzker Architectural Prize pelo conjunto da sua obra. Recentemente foi premiado com o Leão de Ouro da Bienal de Veneza 2016 e com a RIBA Royal Gold Medal 2017.O Museu Nacional dos Coches é a sua primeira obra fora do Brasil, depois do Pavilhão de Osaka em 1970, que se abre agora ao Tejo, a Lisboa, e ao mundo europeu. Com vários projectos vencedores em concursos públicos, é autor do Pavilhão do Brasil na Expo 70, em Osaka, Japão; finalista premiado no concurso para o anteprojecto do Centro Cultural Georges Pompidou, em Paris (1971); autor do projecto para a nova sede do Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade de São Paulo (1975); da loja Forma em São Paulo (1987); do Museu Brasileiro da Escultura - MuBE (1987-1992) em São Paulo; da restruturação do mais antigo museu de Belas Artes paulista, a Pinacoteca do Estado (1993), pela qual recebeu o Prémio Mies van der Rohe (2000); e do projecto do Museu da Língua Portuguesa em São Paulo (2006).
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mo·na·de (n.) from Greek μoνάς, 'unit' in turn from μόνος, monos. A simple and irreducible substance, created from the beginning. Any basic metaphysical entity, especially having an autonomous life. Simple union between spirit and matter.

Let’s suppose that the movement of thought is suddenly blocked – and thus produced in a constellation overloaded with tensions, a kind of shock in return; a shaking that will lead the image to improvise its organization, to construct itself as a monade. — W. Benjamin

mo·na·de (n.) do grego μονάς, 'unidade', de μόνος, monos. Substância simples e irredutível, criada desde o princípio. Entidade metafísica básica, contendo vida própria. União simples entre espírito e matéria.

Suponhamos que o movimento do pensamento se encontra subitamente bloqueado - produzir-se-á então numa constelação sobrecarregada de tensões, uma espécie de choque em retorno; um abalo que levará a imagem a organizar-se de improviso, a construir-se como uma monade. — W. Benjamin