1. PEREIRA, Carlos Mourão; EHRLEMARK, Björn (2008) – “En blind arkitekt”, 4ARK Kroppen; # 3 /
Oktober; pp. 9 -11.
Homemade translation.
”The reason I got interested in your work was, maybe not surprisingly, the fact that you continued in the
architectural field despite losing your sight. Was it an obvious decision?
It was a very obvious decision, after knowing that my continuity in Architecture was possible. I was surprised by
the fact that the adaptations to make to my work methodology were not as complicated as I thought. On
reflection, I evidenced that most of my projectual activity was exerted without much use of the vision. My
moments of bigger creativity had always been during the night, before falling asleep, when the lights were
already turned off, and the scarce minutes in the morning when I was waking up. More, many of the project
decisions that I took did not made use to the vision. For example, during a phone conversation with a customer,
when he suggests alterations. Frequently, I suggested new ideas that only passed by my visual memory. I had
the luck of having the determination of being an architect very early and to like very much to see Architecture.
These facts made me store an amount of visual information, which I appeal frequently. Presently, when visiting
an architecture construction, although the impossibility of the resource to the vision, it is through the perception
with other senses that I receive mental images that I hold back in my memory.
I was already practising architecture without vision when I read “The Eyes of the Skin” of Juhani Pallasmaa. I am
certain that if I had found this book earlier, I would have realized that the perception of Architecture is not as
visual as it seems.
In what ways did it, or did it not, shift your general approach to architecture?
Such a great change in my experience has certainly modified my architectural thought. I passed through a phase
of big difficulty, before concluding the learning of the mobility techniques for people with visual impairments.
During this period, when going up stairs I needed a railing and steps with mirror in order to prevent the arrest of

2. the top of the foot. I think that this reduced mobility phase was very useful in order to acquire knowledge about
the requirements of people with visual impairments, but also on the requirements of elderly which are very
identical. It was as if by the age of 36 I had done a trip in the time and had, for had, for some months, the
mobility of an elderly. Equally, my requirements of cosmogony, to the level of the perception of daily rhythms, are
sufficiently demanding therefore I do not have the visual perception of the light variations between the day and
the night. I appeal for such to other senses. Through hearing I can percept the sunrise by the singing of the birds
in the morning. It is also possible for me to percept, by tactile sense, the Sun rays in contact with the skin. To the
smell sense, the wet and hot smells of the vegetal species are stimulants. My interest for the nature has
increased. Presently, my project premises focus with great emphasis all the questions related to the functional
adequacy, for all users diversity. I also look for that the relation between the built space and the nature of the
place establishes a balance and stimulation for the users.
Did it also change what kind of architectural work you appreciate? Have you, for example, revisited any
of your favourite buildings and thought of them in a new way?
Yes, in fact it has changed. My preference by formal purity passed for many times by the use of sharp borders,
following many of the reference works from the 20th century. I think that much of the 19th century comfort
disappeared in the 20th century. Last year, I spoke about this subject in a conference in which Michael Graves
participated, who completed my reflection with the following pertinent question: Were people from the 19th
century so physically different from the ones of the 20th century? In fact, in current buildings the use of sharp
borders may, sometimes, reflect itself in uncomfortable situations that only now that I am blind I can notice. I
establish that in buildings dated from the end of the 20 th century it exists a considerable use of stainless steel
massive bars with sharp borders in handrails. In the 19 th century the surfaces of these architectural details are
rounded and ergonomically adapted. I think that much of architecture generosity has been forgotten. Referring
the second part of your question, I still did not have the opportunity of revisit my reference buildings however I
have a huge expectation about the vernacular sanctuary of Espichel Cape, near Lisbon.

3. How does your day-to-day work in your office differ from that of your colleagues?
Relatively to my work methodology, this varies considerably from the one of an architect without vision problems.
All the reading of texts, whether it is a printed book or digital texts, I convert into audio information through
computer support, which also allows writing. Relatively to the reading of graphical information, I make it from
tactile form through printings in relief. In the cases of bigger complexity of visual information, I try to percept it
through models or through verbal description when such is possible. Relatively to the idea’s communication I
make it through spontaneous gestural language. Thus, I support my verbal speech making with the hands space
positions capable to make it possible to understand the idea quickly and without the use of supplemental
methods. In 1990, still as an architecture student, I was living with a Japanese family in an traditional house in a
village in Japan. When I evidenced that the words in English of the inhabitants of this village were very scarce, I
improvised this communication method, which I presently appeal to with frequency. Another spontaneous
method is to organize sketches of volumes through objects that I find near me, as a mobile phone, a pen, etc. I
can also use fast models in clay, when I want to communicate organic forms.
It already happened to me to be in the beach, because of a project, and to be able to percept a model in sand
improvised by a collaborator. When I intend to register and to communicate an orthogonal space, Lego is
excellent because it allows having a scale notion through the reference given by the modularity of its salient
studs. I also appeal to the drawing, through a special paper that when pressured with a dry tip marker produces
a relief in the upper face, becoming perceivable by tactile, at the same time, as the drawing continues, it makes it
possible to have the reference of what has been drawn.
The most complex situation occurs in the rehabilitation projects. While visiting a pre-existing building it is
necessary to touch in its finishes, to clap the hands to, by hearing, percept the space volume. Sometimes I have
to use a step ladder to touch in eventual relives that can exist in the roof or façades. Usually I finish these works
with dirty hands, but I notice that I have the advantage, after all this effort, to have very advanced space
knowledge; because this process is deeply lived and real. It already happened to me, while touching in the walls
for thermal perception, to be able to detect the localization of the hot water system in its interior.
Equally, when I have to decide the choice of a tap, a door handle, or a switch, I ask for samples, in contrast to
what I would do if I had vision, therefore certainly I would decide through the information of on-line images.
I have so much pleasure in perception of the State-of-Art in Architecture. Instead of seeing images in

4. publications as I previously did, whenever I can I appeal to visit architecture offices.
I percept scale models and I change ideas with architects and collaborators, which is very enriching.
I consider that the methodology I use privileges the relations of natural scale, which can eventually contrast with
the production in mass that some offices currently make.
It seems as if your way of working emphasizes both direct experiences and natural scale, but also a very
elaborate use of spoken language within the project group. What kind of reactions from people working
with you have you got regarding this?
It is a fact that without the vision my collaborators and students have used the oral discourse a lot. I think that
this communication in architecture has had the enthusiasm of the teams in which I have worked; therefore I have
found really architecture passionate people who like to speak about the subject that interests them so much.
In which projects have you worked since you became blind?
During a period of two years, after becoming blind, I was able to try all project and building phases. It was also
possible to try three distinct situations of project promoter. The situations of private, public and spontaneous ask.
In the first case I developed a project for a single house in Cascais, penthouse rehabilitation in a building of the
19th century in Lisbon, and a rehabilitation of a building of the 18th century, also in Lisbon, with housing,
shopping and offices. Equally, I developed a public project for a cultural and leisure equipment destined to the
requalification of the Melides Lagoon. I also developed another type of project, without any request, only with the
objective of questioning on inclusion; as it happened with a proposal for sanitary installations in domestic space
and also with support equipment for nature bathing. I will present these last works in September in the World
Exhibition of Zaragoza. This has constituted the subject for a study about support in the nature bathing in order
to answer the requirements of blind people, using a scientific methodology of analysis that I am presently
developing.

5. I read at your homepage about your work with acoustic, smelling and tactile experiences. Can you
explain what ideas you were searching to develop?
In the sensorial experiences that I have developed, with the aid of my students, I look for to promote the training
of the empirical observation, which can be important in the development of the project activity. We chose for the
visits spaces with particular sensorial potentiality and, in group, we try to deciphering all the acoustics, smell and
tactile complexity, decomposing these sensorial levels in order to allow a concise analysis. Sometimes, we use
folds in the eyes and take our shoes off to emphasize this perception.
One of the strongest experiences was the analysis of the Paley Park in New York, a project of Zion & Breen.
This is about a small park with a cascade in the middle of the buildings. Visiting this space without using the
vision enables the other senses to gain a bigger presence in its perception. Hearing the cascade when we pass
on street is such a strong acoustic stimulation that attracts us to the park. When we concentrate in the
observation of the acoustic space, we can notice that there is a threshold between an area where the sound of
the cascade coexists with the traffic and another distinct one where the sound of the water overlaps, invisibly
modifying this space. I think that the cited perception of the acoustic space of the Paley Park is easily acquired
with this type of sensorial visit.
In what ways do you think the students make use of these experiences when developing their own
projects?
As Peter Zumthor defends in Architektur denken, the project options are the product of a synthesis done by the
architect with all his personal live experiences. I think that a sensory visit can increase a new space experience.
Last year, I carried out some sensory visits with my ex-student Luís Brilhante Silva. In his thesis for master
degree he achieved results that were useful for reviewing his final architecture project, which focused the
security and comfort level of public space in Lisbon historical centre.

6. You’re also teaching in the Master in the Architecture of the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon. What
do you find most important to teach an architecture student?
It is important to introduce the notion of responsibility that is inherent to the exercise of the Architect work. I think
that it is essential to reflect on the past, with the patrimony that the previous generations have left for us.
Relatively to the present, I am interested in transmitting the importance of the functional adequacy, fitting
sustainability requirements. Being a carrier of deficiency makes my students to have a particular attention to
questions related with Inclusive Architecture. At the same time, for the fact that my impairment is sensorial, it
makes them to worry about sensorial stimulations in their projects. I look for to keep my aesthetic preferences
away from the ones of the students, in order to allow reasonings that express the poetry inside each one. I think
that only this away the results will present depth and diversity.
Is it limiting for architects that so much of our communication is visual, through images and drawings?
What is there to gain from using other forms of communication?
I do not believe that it is in fact limiter. The example of the architect Siza Vieira demonstrates that visual
communication is possible and efficient. He expresses its architectural thought through the drawing, following its
thought and speech in an extremely intuitive form. I think that only thus, in this quick and spontaneous form, he
is able to communicate the spaces he creates, developing a great number of projects simultaneously, which
almost always have a big complexity and trifling detail.
However, there may be other forms of communication, beyond the visual one, equally enriching, mainly if it is
intended the quick understanding from people who are not involved in the project team. The architects Aires
Mateus develop models in diverse materials, allowing a complex perception that identifies not only the built
spaces but also its interiors, through the volumetric representation of empty spaces. I remember percepting a
scale model through tactile information, stepping on it, which constituted the metal pavement in an exhibition
space.
Relatively to the acoustic space, I think that the film directors are the ones who know better how to communicate
the sound of a space. Godard knows how to make this - just need to hear his film Nouvelle Vague - and perhaps

7. it would not be improper to develop this type of communication in the field of Architecture. I finished a few
months ago a study for a river swimming pool in the Rhine Falls, in Switzerland. I was interested in this work to
find a balance in its location, to the level of the sonorous stimulation, where it could join the sound of the
waterfalls and at the same time to hear the voices of the users of the swimming pools in a 20 meters ray. It was
this premise that determined the implantation of the architectonic part. I think that the space I finished to describe
could be communicated with much more accuracy if I made it through a sound support, with changeable layering
of two sonorous sources, one with the sound of the cascade and another one with the sounds of the users’
voices.
To the smell level, I think that the communication in Architecture can pass by simple use of materials samples to
be used in architecture building, which is the usual work methodology for architects. I would not foresee a
housing interior with linoleum in the floor without giving it to the client to smell; therefore it is an example of a
very strong material in the smell point of view and which can incite adhesion or rejection.
Can every aspect of architecture be communicated through the other senses or are there, in your
experience, some things that it is impossible to communicate without your vision?
Until now I found no limit in communication, although I have found some difficulties, as I already mentioned. I
though that the colours communication would be difficult. This worry made me met Sargy Mann, the famous
English blind painter. I established that he uses a methodical chromatic organization in his palette, being able to
use the colours that remain in his memory. Similarly, I concluded that this task would be simple through a
chromatic cataloguing, for example RAL, and like this get the reference of the colours that I am interested in
using. For that cataloguing I just need to compare the colours that I have in my memory, presented in different
supports, so much in architecture as in painting.”