Filipao Nunes Arquitectos have been Shortlisted for 3 Categories in The International Hotel & Property Awards 2021. Read more about Creative Director and Principal Filipao Nunes Arquitectos below:

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• Name: Filipe Jacinto Nunes
• Company: Filipao Nunes Arquitectos
• Position within company: Creative Director- Principal
• Website: filipaonunes.com

Tell us a little about your background in design (education, experience, etc)

I´m a Portuguese architect, who started studies at U. Porto – Faculty of Architecture and finished them at Valladolid School of architecture. 14 years later, I came to Monterrey, just to get to know the city, but I never imagined what would happen next…

I did my last project in Valladolid, Spain, where I represented Spain at an international award in Norway called “Princesa Kristina de Noruega”. This project consisted in a Chapel design in honour of Olav the Saint. There were 32 projects; and the jury, composed by renewed architects from Spain and Norway, awarded honourable mentions to 7 projects and three accessed. This was a monumental building block to start working with Manuel Sanchez Vera (…) and Lucio Morini; where activities were focused in award-winning projects. Some of these projects where “Estratos historicos”, which was the design of an elevated building, with four levels connected by a ramp, in which you can find a museum, a market, a sports centre, and a plaza. Another project was “Viviendas jovenes San Bernardo” and consisted in the design of a residential building.

After two years of living in Madrid, I had this growing desire to know more about Mexico, and, since I had Mexican friends, decided to go, and live there for a semester as an exchange student. While staying in San Pedro Garza Garcia, a place in the northeast of Mexico, I had the opportunity to work with Agustin Landa Vertiz, for a year and a half. One of my projects from back then is Hotel Habitat, where I worked with Yousef Dirab.

Time after this, I wanted to start my own business, so I partnered with Oziel Contreras for 8 years.

From then on, I started focusing on my own thing, by that I mean working in a niche market that I considered has something unique and different from the rest, this market being nightclubs, bars, restaurants, discos, and hospitality in general.

• How would you describe your personal interior design style?

My work reflects my experiences through time, the experiences through design and the space being my canvas.

My style is eclectic; I mix different art disciplines with different artistic trends.

• Where does your design inspiration come from?

I would say my inspiration comes from my deep interest for the spaces and the sensations that this may give. Where the “this” that made me feel deeply in love for interior design is reflected through mine. As an interior architect my intentions are that my spaces always have proportional scale, colour and texture.

• In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?

I always say that my best project is the last one, because it lets us evolve, understand, and get better in the process. The feeling once accomplished with the client satisfaction, leaves us with the sensation of having learned something new.

• Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2022 and beyond.

As we approach 2022, we deeply consider cleanliness, user care, environmental care, COVID protocols, and functionality within our new norms for our upcoming designs.

• If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to interior design schemes, what would it be?

Be patient, be creative, be authentic.

Be insatiable of good architecture.

• How important are The International Hotel & Property Awards as recognition of talent and achievement?

I believe that The International Hotel & Property Awards are very important in helping both beginner and amateur architects alike learn and find motivation to keep doing amazing projects as well as being more confident in their designs and skills. It is also a great way of having everyone show off their talents, building healthy rivalries that benefit all of us.

June 2019, at Capri.

Winning my first global prize with Porfirio’s Guadalajara, filled me with joy, longing, and thankfulness.

Joy; because it was a dream

Longing; there’s a lot of people that I wish could see how I have been evolving as a professional and as a man,

Thankfulness; first, to my family for all the unconditional support throughout the years; My team, for the commitment, talent, dedication, and most of all, their faith in me, and finally; those first clients, those who joined us on a rollercoaster of emotions, who honour us with their preference.

The year 2020 was very challenging for all of us. We all had our ups and downs, but we got the chance to explore a lot more in our projects and had the opportunity to win the bar/lounge global category

• What projects are you currently working on?

Right now, we are working on very different projects. A mixed-use tower, some residential stuff and a new Ilios around Mexico City.

• What was your favourite project to work on and why?

Our favourite this year was Ilios Cancun since it was an opportunity to explore a little bit deeper in Mayan culture.

• What was your most challenging project to work on and why?

Ilios Cancún must be our most challenging one so far. It is designed as a big platform on the Nichupte lagoon. The structure was a real challenge, not only because of the design, but it was difficult to build too and took a little bit more than what we expected.

• Which products/services could you not live without when designing?

We believe wallpaper, new synthetic stones, new brands of furniture, and of course some cool art are all crucial things we need to give each of our projects our characteristic style. 

• What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?

As we continue forward with this new lifestyle and health protocols, my goals for the next twelve months are to keep being our best as a design group, keep looking for more inspiration, and keep doing our very best to give our clients the projects that they dream of.

Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself and your daily inspirations:

• Your most treasured possession?

My wife, my son, and the ones I can call a second family, my dream team.

• Your favourite holiday destination?

Definitively Portugal, it is a fantastic country, a pragmatically, safe, and beautiful place to relax, and, at the end the day, it is great to return to the country that watched me be born.

• Your favourite hotel, restaurant & bar?

Hotel: less and less Beverly Hills

Restaurant: Sketch, London

Bar: Has Poutin, Paris

• Your favourite book, film & song?

Book: The alchemist

Film:  Wallstreet

Song:  A wonderful day

• Your favourite food and drink?

Food: Bacalao traditional sea bass dish 

Drink: Gin and tonic

• Your favourite way to spend an afternoon?

Being next to ones who care about me.

• If you weren’t a designer, what would you be?

I would be a sailor, because Portugal is a place where the ocean is very meaningful, and I just love it.

• Anything else interesting?

I’m very positive about the design in the future, it will be more about the functionality and the human being. I hope that this shut down in the world wakes us up and helps us value our action’s day by day and appraise our workspaces and the relationships between our co-workers and our clients.

I hope we continue doing a great architecture work, surpassing ourselves each day.

Filipao Nunes Arquitectos

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