PRINCIPLES
The atelier aims to produce high-quality works that will meet all client’s requirements whilst striving for a sustainable future.
We believe in beauty as a fundamental driver for happiness. The world we live in is determined by the way it looks, from the small everyday objects we use to the cities we live in and the natural landscape that surrounds it all. As architects and designers we aspire to make a better world by paying as much attention as possible to the aesthetics of what we make.
We also believe in the value of singularity, character, and personality. We would hate to think we are just like anybody else. On the contrary, we make bespoke architecture that has a clear imprint of our authorship.
But fear not, we are not here to waste your time and money! We have a very pragmatic and professional approach to architecture which considers cost-effectiveness and client satisfaction as principal goals.
Precisely for this reason, we strongly support a sustainable approach to design and building. Not because it is the latest trend, not because green sells, but because energy-efficient and sustainable buildings make sense, are long-lasting, and provide a high degree of natural comfort. And of course, they are also beautiful!
ALBERTO NICOLAU
Architect (1995) and Ph.D. in architecture (2016) by the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid.
He began his professional career in London, working in Norman Foster‘s studio for two years. He then returned to Madrid to join Rafael Moneo‘s studio, where he spent five years participating in large-scale and complex projects such as the Los Angeles Cathedral in the USA. In 2002 he founded his own studio in Madrid with the aim of producing unique works of the highest quality.
Winner of several national and international architectural competitions, his work has been widely published in numerous professional magazines in Spain and abroad. His work has also been selected to participate in several exhibitions in Spain, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, and Italy, such as the Spanish pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2002. Among his most notable works are the Suburban Loop project for Almere, the Youth Housing in Seville, and the Spuimarkt housing in The Hague. His public work, Swimming Pool in Valdemoro, received the Aplus award for the best sports architecture in 2010.
In parallel to this activity, since 2002 he has been a professor of Architectural Projects at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid, where he combines his teaching activity with his research work. After having taught at all levels of projects, he has focused especially on the higher courses, in the direction of Final Degree Projects, and in the Enabling Master, always looking for his students to achieve excellence.
Very interested in project generation processes, he is the author of a doctoral thesis on the use of concepts as a creative tool. This research analyzes three essential strategies for producing project ideas and shows how the best contemporary architects apply them in their professional work.
TERESA MACHO
Degree in Architecture (2020) and Master in Architecture (2021) by the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid.
Teresa soon shows exceptional qualities that lead her to become an integral part of Nicolau Architecture. With a special talent for endowing spaces with warmth and personality, she brings her great sensitivity to the definition of dreamlike places. This is perfectly complemented by an interest in detail and finishes that allow her to build spaces that are not only beautiful, but also pleasant to the touch and resistant to the passage of time.
Specialised in the use of graphic design programmes, she uses 3D modelling and visualisation tools for her creations. However, she prefers BIM when it comes to developing technical documentation, where her organisational skills and rationality come to the fore.