Critical Studio

Build your sustainable project with Critical Studio.

In our 7+ years of existence, our projects have been covering a wide range of activities: from consulting to workshops, research and longer term educational projects.

Collaborating with dozens of organizations, on the local and international level, Critical Concrete is a experienced and reliable partner and project leader.

Always ready for a challenge, strong of our wide network, we’ll always try to engage in projects that relate to our values.

What can Participatory design do for you?

Participatory design is a powerful tool to rapidly define and refine your ecological project. We facilitate participatory sessions between clients and designers to quickly workshop design options and decide the final proposal.

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Our Expertise

NATURAL TIMBER TREATMENT

We can protect and preserve new and existing timber using natural oils, charring and other methods.

BESPOKE GLULAM STRUCTURES

Glulam is a very strong and sustainable structural system with fantastic aesthetic properties!

JOINERY

At our in-house workshop we design and construct bespoke joinery pieces to perfectly fit your space.

INNOVATIVE LOW-CARBON INSULATION

Papercrete insulation uses recycled cardboard and lime to create interior insulation that improves indoor humidity and comfort.

RECYCLED TYRE FOUNDATIONS

We have developed a way or reusing old tyres as strong, reliable post foundations – minimising the need for concrete.

ECOLOGICAL GREEN ROOFS

Using cork as a drainage layer green roofs add inhabitable growing space to your dwelling.

RAINWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS

Rainwater collection is a way to reduce water usage. We can design, specify and install a variety of systems to suit client’s needs.

NATURAL FLOORING

We have developed multiple natural flooring products using recycled materials, earth, lime and sand for robust and durable floors.

STONE WALL REHABILITATION

Every stone wall is unique and will need an individual treatment plan for recovery, reinforcement and sometimes replacement.

ROCKET STOVE BUILDING

Rockets stoves efficiently burn wood as a smokeless solution to warm unheated spaces. We offer multiple models of varying complexity.

We work with specialists and designers in sustainable fields to deliver ecological projects for all our clients

Our Projects

CARLOS & MARIA’S House

This house renovation for a couple living in Esposende is a collaboration between the local authority, Portugal Inovação Social and Critical Concrete

Natural Flooring

Cork Insulation

Traditional Timber Framing

MATOSINHOS REFURBISHMENT

Built as part of an international summer school in partnership with MatosinhosHabit, this renovation of a social house features numerous sustainable features:

Papercrete insulation

Wool Insulation

Bespoke Joinery

Public space renovation – Apúlia

Together with Degré47, Ctrl+Z and Húmus Vivo, who led the soil regeneration process and planting, we renovated public space in Apúlia. As a result of long participatory process we have built three wooden structures and planted the area around them.
Project was supported by Esposende Municipality.
Read more about it in our article.

Traditional Timber Framing

Participatory design

Tyre Foundations

International Summer Schools 2016-19

For 4 years Critical Concrete ran sustainable construction summer schools involving young people from all over the world. Over the course of a few weeks we renovated a social houses for local Portuguese families using a variety of low-tech solutions.

Recycled materials

Participatory design

Bespoke Joinery

Critical Concrete HQ

Our production centre and offices are where we test and develop many of our sustainable solutions. From stone wall rehabilitation to ecological green roofs the project is ongoing and ever expenading.