José Carlos Marques Cruz was born in Porto in 1957 and graduated in architecture in FAUP, in 1986. He began his work in the same year and continues as a planner till today, sometimes in partnerships with other architects and other times individually. Has already a wide range of completed projects either as architecture or as interior design with the most varied programs – such as single and multifamily housing, shopping and services – around Europe, North America, South America and Asia. After several years in partnership with other architects, José Carlos Cruz created his own company in 2004. Frequent visits to major world cities offer a wide platform of knowledge focused on ways of approaching fundamental problems of space, volume, proportion, light, material, details and furnishings. The office remains true to the practical realities and lifestyles of each client. It seeks to give each project an individually character tailored to each site, making in unique and personal, as well as to look for realist solutions together with the client. The office’s works continues to be published in international magazines and books such as Frame, Attitude, Area, Hauser, Arquitectura & Construção, Chain Reaction, Architecture y Desino, Abitare, Wallpaper, 1000x European Architecture, 24 houses and Casas Contemporáneas.