Diogo Matos Rodrigues is an architect, designer, and researcher whose work explores the intersections of spatial agency, participatory design, and collaborative “Design and Build” initiatives. He is currently a doctoral candidate at the Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto (FAUP) and a research fellow of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). His thesis, “Design and Build: An Integrated Approach to Self-Building, Co-creation, and Technology to Face the Housing Crisis,” investigates how democratizing technical knowledge can address global housing challenges.Diogo holds a Master’s degree from FAUP, where his dissertation, “Learning in Architecture: Working in Collective(s),” analyzed the pedagogical and social impact of architectural collectives. His commitment to social and ecological issues led him to the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) by the U.S. Department of State, focusing on climate change challenges, for which he later received the IVLP Impact Award in 2023. He is the founder and president of Associação Ponto Parágrafo, an NGO dedicated to the pedagogical, ecological, and political importance of architecture in relation to youth and communities. Through this platform, he has organized numerous workshops, ranging from modular pavilion self-construction in rural Portugal to rammed earth and adobe experimentation at FAUP. His practice bridges vernacular wisdom with emerging digital tools, such as digital fabrication, to create sustainable and accessible built solutions.In addition to his academic and NGO work, Diogo has a significant background in architectural activism and editorial leadership, having served as the director of Dédalo Magazine. For the Kosovo Architecture Festival, he is coordinating a workshop with Palestinian architects, focusing on architecture as a tool for resilience and social reconstruction in conflict-affected territories.
Institution // Associação Ponto Parágrafo is a non-profit organization focused on the intersection of architecture, education, and social agency. Based in Portugal, the NGO promotes the “building-site school” (estaleiro-escola) model, where students and communities collaborate on real-world interventions. The practice specializes in Design and Build methodologies, emphasizing sustainable construction techniques—such as earth and timber—and participatory design processes. By bridging the gap between academic research and local territory, Ponto Parágrafo seeks to empower communities through “constructive sovereignty” and non-speculative housing models.
During the Kosovo Architecture Festival 2026, Diogo will be co-tutoring a 5 day workshop with the Young Palestinian Architecture Fellows with a focus on Palestinian territory, as well as hold a keynote lecture.
