Lost Causes

The ‘Lost Causes’ project, by Tiago Antero and João Manuel Miranda, presents a collection of unbuilt projects in Portugal that were submitted to competitions and did not win. What happens to these ideas? Do they still deserve to be celebrated? According to its premise, “these unrealized visions, often born out of periods of intense work, possess, in the flavor of the ‘mystery of possibility’, an undeniable fascination - worthy of being ‘celebrated”.

Proposal

Although they were not built, the 11 studio projects selected for an exhibition and book continue to inspire architects and enthusiasts. 'Lost Causes' encourages visitors to re-imagine the possibilities of architecture, prompting them to question conventional norms and embrace audacious ideas. In doing so, the publication will extend an open invitation to rethink the boundaries of design and challenge preconceived notions. It also promotes a dialogue between different realities, whether between architects and visitors or between different national contexts. 

The exhibition and book launch are scheduled for October 2025. Until then, roundtables around this project will happen in different locations. One of them will be held at the Lisbon Triennale cultural centre, 26th June, at 6pm.  

The conversation will be attended by Paula Torgal, Vice-President of the National Board of Directors of the Portuguese Order of Architects), Filipa Roseta (Lisbon City Councillor), Patrícia Gonçalves (Secretary of State for Housing), and Paula Santos (paula santos | arquitectura). Paulo Martins Barata (PROMONTORIO) will be the moderator.