Atelier Central

ATELIER CENTRAL (AC) was founded in 1996 by José Martinez Silva, the company’s CEO and main leader Architect, graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of the Technical University of Lisbon (FAUTL) in 1989. The office works internationally, designing and developing projects in numerous areas, such as housing, hotels and resorts, industrial, public buildings, corporate design, schools, healthcare, sports and leisure, offices and retail, building consulting and urban planning.  With a team of 12 wide ranged skilled architects and designers, AC also works with a professional specialized team in engineering, finances and management, international relations, marketing, communication and administrative support.
In 1997, Architect Miguel Beleza became AC’s Senior Partner, and in 2001-2009, alongside with José Martinez, founded ATMB13, a Company specialized in corporate design. During the 8 year practice, ATMB13 worked with several brands, such as Audi, Volkswagen, Škoda, Bentley and Lamborghini.
Miguel Beleza left AC partnership/cooperation in 2014, and in the same year José Martinez joined forces with Architect Paulo Cirne (CEO of ATLISBON - Architecture for Tomorrow) and created ATCENTRAL Group, in a perspective of sustained internationalization based on various partnerships with other companies.
Specialized in brand design, AC has been working as a corporate design consultant for General Motors Portugal since the 1990’s . The accumulated experience and received training allowed it to increase and strengthen its presence in such an aggressive market, currently working for BMW Group, Opel, Chevrolet, Volkswagen, Audi, Škoda, Citroën, Peugeot, Mitsubishi and Honda.
Each challenge is faced with enthusiasm and responsibility, irrespective of its purpose or dimension. Driven and inspired by values of excellence, the office always tries to make the creative process as participative as it can be, engaging customers and all other parties involved, so that everyone works together as a whole. The design process is supposed to achieve a consistent idea, always respecting the location, surroundings and history. It must have its own identity, without forgetting the creative and intelligent management of the available resources, in order to meet budget and schedule.
AC’s experience covers a wide range of architectural formats, such as:
- Schools – Josefa de Óbidos (Lisbon), Vergílio Ferreira (Lisbon) and Montemor-o-Velho schools; and Bicesse kindergarten (Cascais);
- Housing – houses in Paço de Arcos, house in Azeitão and house in Torres Vedras;
- Health equipment and lodging. 
AC has won several international competitions and important awards, such as Valmor Award 2011 and Conde de Oeiras Award 1999. With numerous publications in highly acclaimed magazines, the built portfolio includes schools; hotels; factories; automotive facilities; healthcare facilities; offices; apartments; and private houses in Germany, England, Spain, Angola and Mozambique.