EN / PT

SUMMER SCHOOL


18 — 25  july 2025
Braga, Portugal



Call for applications - Now open  
NEW DATE




Shopyard Summer School is an intensive week-long programme of pedagogical experimentation, organised in partnership by Space Transcribers and INSTITUTO. Running over the course of one week, the programme focuses on exploring, debating and reimagining the future of the first-generation shopping centres in Braga, Portugal.

Located in central Braga are more than 25 shopping centres constructed during the 1980s and 1990s. Although situated in prime and privileged areas of the city, many of these buildings are currently underused. The growth of large-scale shopping centres and retail parks on the urban periphery, shifts in consumer behaviour, and the economic crisis of recent decades have all contributed to the prolonged vacancy of these buildings.
This phenomenon is not unique to Braga — it reflects broader changes in urban and commercial dynamics across various European cities. Nevertheless, we believe that these shopping centres represent valuable opportunities to foster new cultural and spatial dynamics within Braga and beyond.


During the Summer School programme, a group of 30 participants — selected through this open call — will be divided into three working groups, each guided by one of the invited mentors:
oitoo, BUREAU, OUEST architecture
.


Each group will focus on developing spatial and social proposals for one of the three selected case studies. Practical interventions may include architectural projects, temporary art installations, participatory workshops, and experimental activities that engage with the commercial and social dynamics of these spaces.

In addition to the work carried out by the participants, the programme will feature a series of public events, including talks, guided visits, film screenings, an assembly, and other activities.

Download the programme regulations (PDF)


The information on this page does not replace a full reading of the programme regulations.
All applicants are required to read the full document carefully before submitting their application.


Date and Location
18 - 25 July 2025
Braga, Portugal
    Santa Cruz Shopping Centre
    Santa Bárbara Shopping Centre
    Galécia Shopping Centre
    
Who can apply:
The programme is open to 4th and 5th year architecture students, as well as recent graduates (up to 30 years old by December 2025).
Applicants from related fields — such as visual arts, photography, and design — are also encouraged to apply.
The preferred language of the International Summer School is English.

Number of participants:
30.

How to apply:
Fill out and submit the online application form with the following elements:
    Personal data.
    Letter of motivation.
    Biography.
    Portfolio (up to 3 projects).
    Mentor preference.

What we offer:
Free access to all activities.
Free accommodation from 18th to 25th July (7 nights) at Espaço Vita, Braga.
Some meals are included.
Accident insurance.
Certificate of participation.

Application timeline (NEW DATES):
Applications open: 14th April 2025.
Deadline for clarification requests:  27th April 2025.
Responses to clarification requests: by 2nd May 2025
(via email:
projetos@oinstituto.pt).
Application deadline: 30th May 2025 (23:59 GMT).
Announcement of selected participants: 6th June 2025.



CASE STUDIES




Santa Cruz Shopping Centre




Located in the centre of Braga, just behind Theatro Circo — one of the city’s most iconic cultural venues — this shopping centre, built in the 1980s, features six floors of retail space and three upper levels dedicated to offices, comprising a total of 136 units and a commercial area of 9 900 m². It currently houses the headquarters of the Shopyard project, marked by a distinctive yellow curtain designed by the Porto-based architecture studio oitoo.


Galécia Shopping Centre



This shopping centre, built in the mid-1980s, contains 69 units spread across a commercial area of 3 548 m². It includes a small auditorium, which is currently closed. On the lower ground floor (-1), there are rehearsal spaces used by bands and small independent cultural projects. In the past, this level housed a bingo hall, which was later converted into a bar.


Santa Bárbara Shopping Centre




Located in the heart of Braga’s medieval city centre, this shopping centre functions as a passage and shortcut between several streets in the historic core. Designed by architect Agostinho Ricca in the 1980s, the complex includes both office spaces and residential apartments.
Much of the underground commercial area is currently closed to the public. The centre comprises around 100 units across two floors, with a total commercial area of 1 150 m².


MENTORS




Established in 2012 by Daniel Zamarbide, Carine Pimenta, and Galliane Zamarbide, BUREAU is an architecture studio based in Lisbon and Geneva, exploring the intersection of architecture, research, and cultural practices. Their work spans from design and architectural projects to editorial initiatives.

BUREAU will be working in Santa Bárbara Shopping Centre https://bureau.ac


Founded in 2017, oitoo is an architecture studio based in Porto and Lisbon, formed by João Machado, Laura Lupini, Nuno Rodrigues, and Diogo Zenha. The studio specialises in the reuse and revitalisation of spaces and territories, operating at the intersection of practice, research, and architectural thinking.

oitoo will be working in Shopping Santa Cruzhttps://oitoo.pt



Founded in 2009 by Stéphane Damsin and Jan Haerens, OUEST architecture is a studio based in Brussels, dedicated to projects that intersect architecture, culture, and society. Their work spans both built projects and research and curatorial programmes. The studio is particularly noted for implementing renovation initiatives that promote the reuse of construction materials, fostering a circular economy and sustainability.

OUEST will be working in Galécia Shopping Centrehttps://ouest.be




PROGRAMME AND GUESTS




Cristina Bernardo, 2023
Frederico Duarte (Lisbon, 1979) is a design critic and curator. He teaches at FBAUL, is the communications coordinator for Bauhaus of the Seas Sails at IST, and is a co-founder of Fazer magazine. At the Shopyard Summer School, he will present Learning from Babilónia — a project developed with students that offers a critical and ethnographic reading of one of Greater Lisbon’s most unique shopping centres.
https://www.05031979.net


Janina Gosseye is a professor at TU Delft, where she investigates how architecture and urbanism reflect social and political ideologies. Using methods such as oral history and visual narratives, she brings forward perspectives often silenced in architectural discourse. At the Shopyard Summer School, she will present her work on shopping centres and their role in shaping public space in post-war Europe. 
The programme is still being finalised. The full version, along with additional guest names, will be announced soon.



ORGANISATION



Space Transcribers is an architectural research practice founded in Braga in 2015 by PhD architects Fernando P. Ferreira and Daniel Duarte Pereira. Their immersive and collaborative approach explores innovative ways of mediating dialogue between the built environment, communities, and ecosystems, blurring the boundaries between art and architecture. In 2023, they took part in the Portuguese representation at the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale with the project Fertile Futures. They are currently curating three research projects for Braga 25 – Portuguese Capital of Culture: Counter-Kiosk, Shopyard, and Shape of Neighbourhood - an Architecture and Art Festival. www.spacetranscribers.com


INSTITUTO is an independent cultural space founded in 2018 on Rua dos Clérigos, in Porto. Dedicated to promoting diverse forms of cultural expression, INSTITUTO delivers an interdisciplinary programme that includes talks, exhibitions, workshops, and artist residencies, with a strong focus on contemporary social and political issues. INSTITUTO is led by architect and researcher Paulo Moreira (Artistic Director), with Sara Pinheiro (Project Manager) and Nuno Silva (Producer). www.oinstituto.pt




Make the most of your stay in Braga by exploring other projects from Braga 25 – Portuguese Capital of Culture. During the Shopyard Summer School, we’ll be highlighting a selection of events and festivals you won’t want to miss:

Shape of Neighbourhood  – June to November 2025
Shape of Neighbourhood (Forma da Vizinhança) is a festival of architecture and art taking place from June to November 2025, across various locations throughout the city of Braga. Curated by Space Transcribers, the festival brings together invited architects including Manuel Bouzas, Parto Atelier, Patrícia da Silva, Nuno Melo Sousa, ATA Atelier, LIMIT Architecture Studio, RAM, and Atelier Local. Together, they have created new spaces for gathering and exchange through temporary architectural installations, which will serve as platforms for cultural and community-based activities.
Find out more at: formadavizinhanca.pt

Extremo – 26 July
Extremo is a unique festival, conceived as a one-day journey that resembles a short pilgrimage. The programme runs from sunrise to sunset, weaving together soundscapes, performances, installations, and a series of exploratory and electronic music concerts. Held on the border between the municipalities of Braga and Guimarães, the festival activates the religious buildings of Monte da Falperra and its surrounding cultural and natural landscape, blurring the boundaries between municipalities, artistic genres, and between art and nature itself.
Find out more at: extremo.pt

You can explore more of the Braga 25’s programme at: www.braga25.pt

Shopyard Headquarters
Shopping Santa Cruz, loja 33
Largo Carlos Amarante 117, Braga - Portugal
comunicacao@spacetranscribers.com
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