Official Title: Senior Lecturer

Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Email: filipa.simoes@usj.edu.mo

Short Bio

Filipa Simões is a designer and educator based in Macau since 2004. She graduated in Communication Design from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon and holds a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Saint Joseph. She is currently a PhD Student in Design at the School of Architecture of the University of Lisbon.

With over ten years of experience as a professor of Design, Filipa is the Programme Supervisor of the Bachelor of Design and a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Architecture and Design of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ). As a design educator, she aims to enable students to develop projects that contribute to their community’s quality of life.

Filipa has lectured the Capstone Project of the USJ’s Bachelor of Design for over ten years, supervising more than seventy research-based projects guided by a solid vision to serve the community, improve people's lives, and contribute to a more sustainable future. The projects are showcased in public exhibitions every academic year's end. Several were internationally recognised, receiving twelve design awards, two selections for international design exhibitions, and one design patent.

She founded Whydesign in 2005, a design studio that explores the communication design potential of each project across different areas, from editorial design to visual identity, spatial branding, exhibition design, and web design. Her works have won several awards and have been published and exhibited internationally. Filipa is also the director of Ponte 9 Creative Platform, a synergetic ecosystem for creative industries startups located in the heart of Macau’s Inner Harbour with offices, a fabrication lab, and a multifunctional space for exhibitions and conferences.  

Filipa’s research is centred on Design Thinking, Urban Culture, and Community Engagement, with a focus on the visualisation of urban conditions in Macau. She has led or participated in several research and applied research initiatives, such as Industrial Materials Recycling in Macao, Macau Digital Mapping, and Macau Villages. Her editorial design work of over 22 years in Lisbon, Macau, China, and Japan is reflected in her drive to disseminate research through the publication of books.

She is the co-founder of CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism (CURB), a non-profit organisation that promotes the production and dissemination of knowledge in architecture, urbanism and urban culture. As part of her work at CURB, she was the art director and co-curator of projects exhibited at the Venice Architecture Biennale, the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Architecture Biennale in 2013 and 2015, the Seoul Architecture and Urbanism Biennale in 2017, and Open House Macau in 2018.

Publications

PUBLICATIONS

Book
Simões, F. (Ed.). (2023). Guide to Street Art in Macau. CURB Center for Architecture and Urbanism. ISBN 978-99981-927-2-0.

Book Section
Soares, N.; Simões, F. (2017). Macao Shaped by Use – Formalizing the Vernacular Customization of the City. In Choi, H. & Pai, H. (ed.) Imminent Commons: Commoning Cities: Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism 2017 (pp. 66-67). Actar Publishers. ISBN 978-1-945150-66-1.

Book Contributor
Soares, N. (ed.) (2023). Open House Macau - Architecture Beyond Walls. CURB - Center for Architecture and Urbanism. ISBN: 978-99981-927-1-3.
Soares, N. (ed.) (2018). The Inner Harbour Vernacular Heritage. CURB - Center for Architecture and Urbanism. Macau. ISBN: 978-99981-927-0-6.

FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS

Industrial Materials Recycling in Macao: Study on Waste Materials Reuse in the Architecture and Design Industries
Funding: Macao Foundation | Amount: MOP 255,000
Position: Principal Investigator
July 2023–June 2024

Robotic Arts in Macao: Training and Exhibition
Funding: Macao Foundation | Amount: MOP 100,000
Position: Coordinator
November–December 2023

Shophouses in Macau – The Architectural Morphology and Local Characteristics of a Southeast Asian Building Type
Organiser: CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism
Funding: Macao Foundation | Amount: MOP 141,000
Position: Researcher and Design Coordinator
July 2022–June 2023 

Macau Villages: Beco da Ostra – Evolution, Community and Perspectives
Organiser: CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism
Funding: Macao Foundation
Position: Researcher and Design Coordinator
July 2022–June 2023

Conceptual Master Plan for the Public Domain of Southern Inner Harbour
Organiser: Coordinated by the Architecture Programmes of the University of Saint Joseph
Client: Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM)
Position: Researcher and Design Coordinator
2020–2022

Macau Digital Mapping – Georeferencing and Visualizing Urban Data
Organiser: CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism
Funding: Science and Technology Development Fund | Code: 268/2017/A
Position: Researcher and Design Coordinator
2017–2018

TEACHING AWARDS

Excellence Award (for design teaching excellence) | 2020 “Golden Lotus Cup” International (Macao) College Student Design Competition and the 6th “Golden Lotus Cup” International Design Masters Invitational Competition, 18 December 2020, MGM Grand, Macau. Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2019/2020) | December 2020

Gold Award | Zhongshan Industrial Design Competition - Xiaolan Hardware and Electrical Design Special Competition, “Sero” Speaker System by Joao Alfonso | Graduation Project (Design Capstone Project I–II, 2020/2021) | December 2021

Gold Award – Product Design | Co-Creation Home Design Awards 2021, Guangdong Home Design Valley, “HEA” Multifunctional Chair by Skylar Tai | Graduation Project (Design Capstone Project I–II, 2020/2021) | December 2021

Innovative Furniture Certificate for Concept Design | 2020 Foshan “Mayor Cup” Industrial Design Competition, organized by Foshan’s People’s Government. M3BOX by Jerry U | Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2018/2019) co-supervised with Prof. Carlos Sena Caires | January 2021

Bronze Award Soft Decoration Category | 2020 “Golden Lotus Cup” International (Macao) College Student Design Competition and the 6th “Golden Lotus Cup” International Design Masters Invitational Competition, 18 December 2020, MGM Grand, Macau. KAMI Origami Furniture by Athena Cheong | Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2019/2020) | December 2020

Gold Award for Concept Design | 4th China “FengRu Cup” Industrial Design Competition, 2020 Jiangmen “Mayor Cup” Industrial Design Competition. KAMI Origami Furniture by Athena Cheong | Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2019/2020) | December 2020

Selected Exhibitor at SaloneSatellite Shanghai 2018 | Salone del Mobile.Milano Shanghai, 22–24 November, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China. “Infinity” Interactive Lamp by Wong Wai Ka | Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2017/2018) co-supervised with Prof. Carlos Sena Caires | November 2018

Outstanding Award | Third Y-Show X 6075 Macau Hotel Art Fair, organized by Chiu Yeng Cultural and Creative Industry Association, 11–14 October 2018, Macau. Whistle by Georgina Wong | Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2017/2018) co-supervised with Prof. Carlos Sena Caires | October 2018

Sponsorship Award | Third Y-Show X 6075 Macau Hotel Art Fair, organized by Chiu Yeng Cultural and Creative Industry Association, 11–14 October 2018, Macau. Le Grand by Ana Isabel Mariano do Rosário | Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2017/2018) co-supervised with Prof. Carlos Sena Caires | October 2018

Sponsorship Award | Third Y-Show, organized by Chiu Yeng Cultural and Creative Industry Association, 13–16 July 2017, Macau. LUZ by Winnie Leong | Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2016/2017) co-supervised with Prof. Carlos Sena Caires | July 2017

Sponsorship Award | Third Y-Show X 6075 Macau Hotel Art Fair, organized by Chiu Yeng Cultural and Creative Industry Association, 13–16 July 2017, Macau. LEAF by Gary Un | Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2016/2017) co-supervised with Prof. Carlos Sena Caires | July 2017

Selected Exhibitor at SaloneSatellite Shanghai 2016 | Salone del Mobile.Milano Shanghai, 19–21 November, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China. “In Out” Stool and Table by Daniel Kuan | Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2014/2015) co-supervised with Prof. Nuno Soares | November 2016

Product Design Award | Y-Show, organized by Chiu Yeng Cultural and Creative Industry Association, 29 September–2 October 2016, Regency Art Hotel, Macau. Super Bin by Tom Sit | Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2015/2016) co-supervised with Prof. Nuno Soares | October 2016

Teaching Design Patents
M3BOX by Jerry U | Graduation Project (LAT207_DS | Art - Free Expression I–II, 2018/2019) co-supervised with Prof. Carlos Sena Caires

EXHIBITIONS/EVENTS

Curator/Coordinator

 Magic Carpet – Re-envisioning Macau’s Inner Harbour
Organized by CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism | 11 December 2021
Position: Coordinator and Art Director

 “My House” Workshop
Organized by CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism | 11 December 2021
Position: Coordinator

 “Our Street” Workshop
Organized by CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism | 11 December 2021
Position: Coordinator

Artboards for Future Memories - Workshop and Installation
Organized by CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism
28 November–5 December 2020
Position: Coordinator

Ephemeral Windows – Rooftop Street Art
Integrated into the 18th Macao City Fringe Festival
Organized by CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism | 12 January–9 February 2019
Position: Curator

Open House Macau 2018
Organized by CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism | 10–11 November 2018
Position: Co-curator and Creative Director

Macau Shaped by Use – Formalizing the Vernacular Customization of the City
Integrated into the Cities Exhibition of the 2017 Seoul biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, organized by Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Design Foundation, at Seoul Design Support Center, Jongo, Seoul, Republic of Korea | 2 September–5 November 2017
Position: Co-curator and Art Director

Macau Reframed at the Mandarin’s House
Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Macau S.A.R., Macau | December 2016
Position: Co-curator, Art Director and Exhibitor |

Macau Reframed: The City, Its People and Their Trace
Macau Pavilion at the Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/ Architecture (Shenzhen) Shenzhen | 4 December 2015–28 February 2016
Organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Macau S.A.R. 
Position: Co-curator, Art Director and Exhibitor |

Macau Morphologies – Shapes, Figures & Conditions on the Densest City
Macau Pavilion at the Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/ Architecture (Shenzhen), Shekou, Shenzhen | 7 December 2013–28 February 2014
Organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Macau S.A.R.
Position: Art Director and Exhibitor

Modules

Year 1 Master

Year 1 Bachelor

Year 2 Bachelor

Year 3 Bachelor

Year 4 Bachelor