Center for Studies in Architecture and Urbanism

CEAU

Center for Studies
in Architecture and Urbanism

Rafael Sousa Santos

Rafael Sousa Santos is an architect and researcher at the Center for Studies in Architecture and Urbanism, within the Territory Dynamics and Morphologies group (CEAU-MDT) at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto. He was a visiting researcher at the Politecnico di Milano (2021-2022), at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2022) as a Fulbright scholar, and at the Rachel Carson Centre in Munich (2025). He has served as a reviewer and guest speaker at several institutions, including the Università degli Studi di Palermo, Università degli Studi “Gabriele d’Annunzio” di Pescara, Politecnico di Milano, École Nationale d’Architecture de Marrakech, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He regularly publishes and participates in conferences on topics such as architectural education, architectural and urban history, and digital and environmental humanities. He co-edited the issue Collaborations: Rethinking Architectural Design (Transcript, 2023) of Dimensions—Journal of Architectural Knowledge (Technical University of Munich). In 2025, he received the Fernando Távora Award from the Portuguese Order of Architects. Currently, he lectures at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto and works as a postdoctoral researcher on the European Research Council–funded project Fishing Architecture at CEAU-MDT.

Identification

Degree
PhD
Category
Integrated Member
Join Year
2021
Citation Names
Sousa Santos, Rafael
Ciência ID
2512-FF17-DD5F
Ciência Vitae ID
2512-FF17-DD5F
Orcid ID
0000-0002-6220-2631
Email
rssantos@arq.up.pt
Activity Domains
Humanities - Arts - Architectural design
Research Groups
Territory Dynamics and Morphologies (100%)
Dedication (Research)
100%

Education

Concluded

Programa de Doutoramento em Arquitectura

Doutoramento

"Traces of Gestures: The Resources of Freehand Drawing in Architectural Design Teaching"

Approved with distinction

Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Concluded

Mestrado Integrado em Arquiectura

Mestrado

"Vida e movimento: Hipóteses de regeneração urbana a propósito da Estrada da Circunvalação do Porto | Life and movement: Hypothesis of urban regeneration about Porto's Estrada da Circunvalação"

Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Professional Career

Science

Contracted Researcher

Universidade do Porto Centro de Estudos de Arquitectura e Urbanismo

Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Visiting Researcher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Architecture and Planning

Visiting Researcher

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, Germany

Researcher

Universidade do Porto, Centro de Estudos de Arquitectura e Urbanismo

Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Visiting Researcher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Visiting Researcher

Politecnico di Milano

Politecnico di Milano, Italy

Research Trainee

CEFA-UP | Centro de Estudos da Faculdade de Arquitectura

Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Others

Estagiário

CONTEMPORÂNEA | Manuel Graça Dias + Egas José Vieira

Estagiário e Colaborador

PROJECTUS C2F | Investimentos e urbanismo

PROJECTUS C2F | Investimentos e urbanismo, Portugal

Estagiário

A. MORGADO | Gabinete de Arquitectura

A. MORGADO | Gabinete de Arquitectura, Portugal

Projects

Contract

Ongoing

REVIVE - REsilient Valorization of Inland Vernacular Environment

REVIVE - REsilient Valorization of Inland Vernacular Environment

Universidade do Porto Centro de Estudos de Arquitectura e Urbanismo, Portugal ; Universidade do Minho Departamento de Engenharia Civil, Portugal ; Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal

COMPETE2030-FEDER-00913100

Ongoing

Fishing Architecture: The Ecological Continuum between Buildings and Fish Species

Researcher

European Commission, Belgium

101044244

Grant

Traces of Gestures: The Resources of Freehand Drawing in Architectural Design Teaching

Traces of Gestures: The Resources of Freehand Drawing in Architectural Design Teaching

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal

FCT SFRH/BD/129527/2017

Outputs

Book chapter

Published

Harvesting the Sea, Building the Land: A Case for Small-Scale Fisheries in Angeiras

Convivium: Food Systems at the Limit, ArchiTangle

Sousa Santos, Rafael; Inglez de Souza, Diego; Tavares, André

https://www.museumsshop.cedon.de/Convivium-Food-Systems-at-the-Limit-englisch

Published

Costruire con la terra: Tra memoria costruttiva e innovazione progettuale

Terra da Nossa Terra. Cultura Material no Alentejo, FAUP: 254-263

Sousa Santos, Rafael

https://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/bitstream/10216/170490/2/747202.pdf

Published

Delving into Fernando Távora’s Archive

Class With Távora. Teaching and Learning (Living) Today, AMAG: 137-142

Sousa Santos, Rafael; Francesco Cancelliere

https://www.amagpublisher.com/product-page/pb-06-in-class-with-t%C3%A1vora

Published

Teaching Freehand Drawing

Stoà: Strumenti per l’insegnamento della progettazione architettonica, Thymos Books, 2, Disegni: 136-151

Sousa Santos, Rafael

https://stoajournal.com/Issue-02

Conference paper

Published

Freehand drawing as a didactic instrument
A Focus on Pedagogy: Teaching, Learning and Research in the Modern Academy

Sousa Santos, Rafael; Clara do Vale; Bogoni, Barbara; Kirkegaard, Poul Henning

Published

Didactics and circumstance: External representations in architectural design teaching
Online Education – Teaching in a Time of Change Virtual

Muncie , United States

Sousa Santos, Rafael; Clara Pimenta do Vale; Barbara Bogoni; Poul Henning Kirkegaard

Published

Walking in-between: Urban interstices on the Lisbon hillside
Grand Projects: Urban legacies of the late 20th century

Lisbon , Portugal

Lorenzo Iannizzotto; Sousa Santos, Rafael; João Ventura Trindade; Fabio Lucchesi

Published

The Forms of Representation in Architectural Design Teaching: The cases of AUIC-POLIMI and FAUP
SIGraDi 2020 Transformative Design

Medellín , Colombia

Sousa Santos, Rafael; Maria Clara de Carvalho Pimenta do Vale; Barbara Bogoni; Poul Henning Kirkegaard

Published

A methodological instrument for urban design in small towns: An experience for the valorization of Belmonte, Portugal
STC 2019 - International Conference on Small Towns

Salerno , Italy

Sousa Santos, Rafael; Braz Afonso, Rui

Conference poster

Photography as an Instrument to Approach Residual Spaces

Nature for Innovative and Inclusive Urban Regeneration (NATiURB)

Iannizzotto, Lorenzo; Sousa Santos, Rafael

Curatorial / Museum exhibition

Convivium: Food Systems at the Limit, segment Octopus Choreographies: The Fishing Community of Angeiras

Dataset

Three Historical Data Sets on Sardine (Sardina pilchardus) Fisheries and Climate in the Bay of Biscay (1846–1965): Landings, Vessels, and Environmental Variables

The repository contains three data sets detailing European sardines (Sardina pilchardus) landings (1865–1965), sardine fishing vessels (1846–1928), and environmental variables (1865–1965) in the Bay of Biscay. This work was undertaken as part of the Fishing Architecture research project, which examines a continuum between marine ecosystems and built environments across the North Atlantic (1815–

Nouvet, Alice; Tavares, André; Giulia Secci-Petretto; Sousa Santos, Rafael; Claudia Soares; Gabriel, S.; Eyjólfsson, Garðar; Inglez de Souza, Diego; Sillero, Neftalí

Zenodo

Exhibition catalog

Convivium: Food Systems at the Limit (Octopus Choreographies: The Fishing Community of Angeiras)

Pinakothek der Moderne

Sousa Santos, Rafael; Inglez de Souza, Diego; Tavares, André

Journal article

Submitted

Histories of Sardine Fisheries. Architecture and Environment in the Bay of Biscay (1846–1965)

Nouvet, Alice; Tavares, André; Giulia Secci-Petretto; Sousa Santos, Rafael; Eyjólfsson, Garðar; Gabriel, S.; Claudia Soares; Inglez de Souza, Diego; Sillero, Neftalí. Corresponding author: Nouvet, Alice

The Very Long-term Iberian Fish Database Archaeological Fish Occurrences within the Iberian Peninsula

Scientific Data

Sónia Gabriel; James H. Barrett; Neftalí Sillero; Rafael Sousa Santos; André Tavares

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-07079-5

issn: 2052-4463
doi: 10.1038/s41597-026-07079-5

Cod, construction, and communities: Relations between fish and architectural history in Ísafjörður, Iceland

Open Research Europe

André Tavares; Karl Benediktsson; Ana Azevedo; Rafael Sousa Santos; Garðar Eyjólfsson; Michelle Valliant

https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.20177.3

doi: 10.12688/openreseurope.20177.3

Self and Mutual Interactions in Design Education

BBDS - Black Book: Drawing and Sketching

Rafael Sousa Santos

https://journals.wisethorough.com/index.php/BBDS/article/view/990

doi: 10.48619/BBDS.V6I1.A990

A Data-Driven History of Gloucester's Fisheries Architecture

Ocean and Society

Rafael Sousa Santos; André Tavares

https://doi.org/10.17645/oas.9365

doi: 10.17645/oas.9365

Journal issue

Published

Collaborations: Rethinking Architectural Design

Dimensions – Journal of Architectural Knowledge, 3, 5: 295

Sousa Santos, Rafael; Elettra Carnelli; Federico Marcolini; Fabio Marino

Bielefeld , Germany

https://www.transcript-verlag.de/978-3-8376-6370-9/dimensions.-journal-of-architectural-knowledge/?c=310000010

Magazine article

Notes on Architectural Education and Drawing

Drawing Matter

Sousa Santos, Rafael

https://drawingmatter.org/notes-on-architectural-education-and-drawing/

Rule and emotion: The role of hand drawing at Porto School

presS/Tletter Associazione Italiana di Architettura e Critica

Sousa Santos, Rafael

https://www.presstletter.com/2020/05/rule-and-emotion-the-role-of-hand-drawing-at-porto-school-rafael-sousa-santos/

Notes on Perception and Representation

U3 - UrbanisticaTre

Sousa Santos, Rafael

http://www.urbanisticatre.uniroma3.it/dipsu/?portfolio=6907

The moral question in Adolf Loos

U3 - UrbanisticaTre

Sousa Santos, Rafael

http://www.urbanisticatre.uniroma3.it/dipsu/?portfolio=the-moral-question-in-adolf-loos

Between exhaustion and creativity: The Burnout Society of Byung-Chul Han

U3 - UrbanisticaTre

Sousa Santos, Rafael

http://www.urbanisticatre.uniroma3.it/dipsu/?portfolio=between-exhaustion-and-creativity

Other output

Octopus Choreographies. Small-scale Fisheries in Angeiras, Portugal

Comic book

Silva, R.; Tavares, André; Sousa Santos, Rafael

Porto , Portugal

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17651421

Fishing Architecture. ERC Open Research Data Management Plan

Data Management Plan

Tavares, André; Ana Azevedo; Sousa Santos, Rafael; Sillero, Neftalí; null, Diogo Borges Ferreira

Porto , Portugal

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17633014

Book of Abstracts. The Built Ocean EAHN Thematic Conference

Book of Abstracts

Tavares, André; Sousa Santos, Rafael

Porto , Portugal

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17045490

From Fish to Architecture: The Fishing Community of Angeiras in Northern Portugal

Report

Tavares, André; Sousa Santos, Rafael

Porto , Portugal

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14014591

Thesis / Dissertation

Traces of gestures: The resources of freehand drawing in architectural design teaching

PhD

Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

https://hdl.handle.net/10216/165116

Vida e Movimento: Hipóteses de regeneração urbana a propósito da Estrada da Circunvalação do Porto

Master

Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

https://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/handle/10216/86330

Activities

Committee member

Member of the organizing committee of the conference "The Built Ocean"

Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal ; European Architectural History Network, United Kingdom

Member of Scientific Committe at the conference "2.as Jornadas Ibéricas de Molinologia–Vila do Conde 2025"

Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Conference scientific committee

ACSA 2025 Intersections Research Conference: AI Design Practices

Wentworth Istitute of Technology, Boston US

2.as Jornadas Ibéricas de Molinologia–Vila do Conde 2025

Centro da Memória de Vila do Conde

ACSA 113th Annual Meeting: Repair

New Orleans, US

Urban Futures - Cultural Pasts: Sustainable Cities, Cultures & Crafts

Barcelona, ES

ACSA 112th Annual Meeting: Disrupters on the Edge

Vancouver, British Columbia, CA

Course / Discipline taught

Writing Planetary Architecture. Aga Khan Chair

Mestrado Integrado em Arquitectura

Mestrado integrado

Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Event organisation

Co-organiser and Tutor, workshop "Atlantic Moves"

Co-organisor, Workshop

Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Co-organiser and Tutor, workshop "Underwater Landscapes"

Co-organisor, Workshop

Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Co-organiser and Tutor, workshop "Octopus Choreographies"

Co-organisor, Workshop

Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Co-organiser and Tutor, BIP "Material Culture in Alentejo"

Co-organisor, Workshop

Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Co-organiser and Tutor, workshop "Cod, Construction, Communities"

Co-organisor, Workshop

Háskólasetur Vestfjarða, Iceland

Journal scientific committee

BBDS–Black Book: Drawing and Sketching

Wise Thorough

https://journals.wisethorough.com/index.php/BBDS/issue/view/81

Springer Nature

Springer Cham

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-92188-9

Dimensions—Journal of Architectural Knowledge

transcript

https://www.transcript-publishing.com/978-3-8376-7840-6/dimensions.-journal-of-architectural-knowledge/?number=978-3-8394-1593-1&c=412026800

Oral presentation

Seeing and Tracing: Analytical Explorations on Sicilian Vernacular Architecture

TercerForo Iberoamérica diseña

Instituto Cervantes

Oceans Shape Cities

European Society for Environmental History Conference: Climate Histories

Uppsala University

Octopus Choreographies: The Fishing Community of Angeiras

CONVIVIUM Food Systems at the Limit

Architekturmuseum, Technische Universität München

Peixes, Praias e Pedras: A Arquitetura do Peixe em Matosinhos

Do Mar à Margem: Conhecimento e Sustentabilidade da Costa Norte Atlântica

Câmara Municipal de Matosinhos

Drawing Archives: Visual Narratives of Architectural Education at MIT

Research & Teaching: Exploring Academia, From Practice to Publishing. AMPS

Czech Technical University

Other jury / evaluation

Examining board for master’s thesis intermediate assessment

Ecole Nationale d’Architecture de Marrakech, Morocco

Examining board for master’s thesis intermediate assessment

Ecole Nationale d’Architecture de Marrakech, Morocco

Examining board for master’s thesis intermediate assessment

Ecole Nationale d’Architecture de Marrakech, Morocco

Examining board for the final exam of the course "Architectural History and Curatorial Studies", from the Master's in Architecture

Technische Universität München, Germany

Examining board for the final exam of the course "Architectural Design Studio", from the Master's in Architecture

Ecole Nationale d’Architecture de Marrakech, Morocco

Scientific expedition

St. John’s and Bonavista, Newfoundland Financial Support: FISH-A ERC-101044244

Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada

Douarnenez and Lorient, France Financial Support: FISH-A ERC-101044244

Gloucester and Boston, Massachusetts, US Financial Support: FISH-A ERC-101044244

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States

Munich, Germany Financial Support: CEAU-UP

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, Germany

Ísafjörður and Reykjavik, Iceland Financial Support: FISH-A ERC-101044244

Háskólasetur Vestfjarða, Iceland

Supervision

Continuité des strates temporelles : L’articulation entre tradition et modernité au sein de l’architecture résidentielle marocaine à travers l’intelligence artificielle

Master's in Architecture - Master

Rafael Sousa Santos - Co-supervisor

Aymen Abouhassoun - Candidate

Ecole Nationale d’Architecture de Marrakech, Morocco

Belyounech, entre terre et mer : Vers une utopie écologique flottante : Réinventer l’habitat pour harmoniser l’homme, la nature et l’avenir

Master's in Architecture - Master

Rafael Sousa Santos - Co-supervisor

Basma Likram - Candidate

Ecole Nationale d’Architecture de Marrakech, Morocco

Vers un espace de mémoire vivant: Valorisation du patrimoine côtier à Safi à travers une architecture sensorielle et identitaire

Master's in Architecture - Master

Rafael Sousa Santos - Co-supervisor

Rachidi Ilyass - Candidate

Ecole Nationale d’Architecture de Marrakech, Morocco

Du centre casablancais à la périphérie durable: Zenata, levier de rééquilibrage métropolitain

Master's in Architecture - Master

Rafael Sousa Santos - Co-supervisor

Kawtar Jamal - Candidate

Ecole Nationale d’Architecture de Marrakech, Morocco

A Pesca do Bacalhau e a Estrutura Urbana de Vila do Conde (1936-1976)

Master's in Architecture - Master

Rafael Sousa Santos - Co-supervisor

Jéssica Alexandra da Silva Costa - Candidate

Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Distinctions

Other distinction

FCT Mobility Grant

FCT/Mobility/1357685601/2024-25

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal

Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Teaching

Erasmus Plus, Belgium

Fulbright Research Grant

Fulbright Portugal, Portugal

FCT PhD Studentship

FCT SFRH/BD/129527/2017 COVID/BD/152376/2022

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal

Award

Fernando Távora Award 21st edition

Ordem dos Arquitetos, Portugal