José graduated in architecture in 1983 from the University of Lisbon. He is the recipient of awards from the AIA International Forum for Religioin, Art and Architecture, the Prix Européan de la Reconstruction de la Ville, and the fondation L'Architecture in Brussels. 

 

He has been active in residential, commercial office, and leisure projects as well as garden design, conservation, and restoration. His academic pursuits include several books, and lecturing on the history of architecture, conservation, design and drawing. 

 

He has worked with Portuguse and Italian Universities, as well as the University of Notre Dame in the U.S.A. He also founded the New School of Architecture of Viseu, Portugal, where he was dean and professor.