NTYPE PROFILE

NTYPE operates as a design platform situated at the intersection of architectural practice, research and experiment. We regard architecture, urbanism and environment as dynamic systems in continuous evolution—an ongoing process of seeking strategies among ecological, social, economic, and political forces. These domains do not exist in isolation; rather, they form a complex network of interdependencies that collectively shape the spatial, material, and cultural dimensions of the built and the unbuilt environment.

Our approach is grounded in extensive empirical and theoretical inquiry, aimed at uncovering the mechanisms through which these factors interact. By maintaining active collaborations with scholars, philosophers, artists, engineers, and professionals across multiple disciplines, we cultivate a transdisciplinary discourse that informs both conceptual development and practical application.

For commissioned projects, central to our methodology is the early and sustained engagement of the client, respecting each specific site of every individual project with open mind, keen perceptions and senses, in order to explore the project’s potential and come up with creative design concepts and solutions. This participatory and site specific model allows us to interpret and translate fundamental needs into spatial and formal strategies that are not arbitrary, but contextually grounded; not generic, but unique; not merely responsive, but anticipatory in vision.

Each project is conceived as an open field for experimentation—a site where research, dialogue, and design converge. Through iterative exploration and critical reflection, we seek to integrate functional legibility, technical precision, aesthetic integrity, and environment significance into cohesive and meaningful design outcomes.

In this manner, NTYPE positions itself not only as a producer of architectural form, but as a contributor to the broader intellectual and ecological discourse of contemporaneity.

PRINCIPAL / FOUNDER

Joao Lemos started with his pursue to Art and Architecture by initially studying arts. He accomplished a course of Applied Arts before defining his path in architecture. It provided him with a base platform of creativity, critical thinking to society and different approaches in seeking solutions, which turned essential for his Architectural formation. He holds an Architecture Master degree from ULHT in Lisbon, is a registered Architect in both Netherlands and Portugal.

During the past years he has collected a rich variety of cultural and professional experiences through his work in Switzerland for Burckhardt & Partner, Dfab Studio in Malta and China where he worked for Massimiliano Fuksas.

The understanding of different cultures as well as accumulation of diverse education and profound professional experiences allowed a new perspective. At the end of 2013 he founded NTYPE, an office performing design work in different areas, including urban planning, architecture, installation, furniture and graphic design, as well as research and writing.

He keeps connected with the academic world by giving lectures in different countries, and has been invited as a guest critic for final reviews of Architecture and Urban Planning at various universities.

PRINCIPAL / FOUNDER

Before becoming a principal of NTYPE, Yang Yang worked in MVRDV Rotterdam and was a senior architect at OMA. She joined OMA Rotterdam headquarter in 2006 then worked in OMA for nearly eight years in various countries and cities, including Rotterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong and Shenzhen. During this period with OMA, she worked on a wide range of international projects with locations in Russia, France, China etc., from urban scale master planning, to architecture and interiors. Among which, she was fully involved in the whole design and construction process of Shenzhen Stock Exchange, from schematic design to the completion of the project.

Besides architecture Yang Yang also has experiences in curating exhibitions. For example, she worked at Netherlands Architecture Institute for the exhibition of China Contemporary in 2006 in Rotterdam. With a wide knowledge in international contemporary practices in art, design, architecture and urbanism, she has been invited to give lectures in universities and TED, to have talks in galleries and international forums, and to be a guest critic for final reviews of Architecture and Urban Planning in universities. She was interviewed by newspaper, magazines and websites, also writes articles for magazines and books.

She holds a Master of Science degree in Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences from Delft University of Technology. She is a registered architect in the Netherlands.

LECTURES

2022 - Lecture about Rammed Earth Architecture in Alentejo Portugal, invited by Ordem Dos Arquitectos, Evora Portugal

2020 - NTYPE Projects in relation with Waterfront, invited by Laval University, Canada

2019 - Public lecture <Urban and Architectural Design Visions, invited by Xi’an Jiaotong Univeristy, Xi’an China

2018 - Lecture in the Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio, Switzerland

2017 - Lecture at the "Spirit of Youth" campaign launch organized by British Consulate-General Chongqing, Chengdu China

2016 - Lecture about urban and architecture design in GAC Contemporary Art Museum, Chongqing China

2015 - Lecture at AA Visiting School, Chengdu China

2014 - Pecha Kucha Presentation, Chengdu China

2014 - Talk at 1000 Plateaus Art Space, Chengdu China

2014 - Lecture at Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu China

2013 - Lecture at TEDxUESTC, Chengdu China

2013 - Lecture at Huayi Design, Chongqing China

2013 - Forum at A4 Contemporary Art Center, Chengdu China

2012 - Lecture at Qingdao Technological University, Qingdao China

EXHIBITIONS

2017 - Biennale de Curitiba 2017, Brazil

2016 - "CHINA 1000", Xi'an Art Museum, Xi'an China

2015 - "CHINA 1000", Beijing Design Week, 798 Art Factory, Beijing China

2015 - "Chongqing / Sydney", gaffa gallery, Sydney Australia

2014-2015 - "Xiang", Tai Koo Li, Chengdu China

2014-2015 - "Zao/Architecture China", Lyon France

2014-2015 - "Beyond Architecture", Art Center, Guangzhou China

2014 - "Beyond Architecture", Museum of Contemporary Art Chengdu, China

2014 - Organhaus International Artist Workshop, Chongqing China

2014 - Chengdu Design Week, MinTown Studio Community, China

2014 - "Positive Space", Times Museum Guangzhou, China

2013 - Collateral Exhibition of 2013 Bi-city Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture, Shenzhen China

"CHINA 1000" Exhibition part of the Beijing Design Week 2015

Organhaus International Artist Workshop, Chongqing China 2015

Chongqing / Sydney, gaffa gallery, Sydney Australia 2015

Biennale de Curitiba 2017, Brazil

Zao/Architecture China, Lyon France 2014 / 2015

Xiang, Tai Koo Li, Chengdu China 2014 / 2015

Positive Space, Times Museum Guangzhou 2014

PRESS

2021 -<AN shopfittingmagazine> September/October 2021 Issue 165, ISSN 2284-0702

2015 - <CHINA 1000>, ISBN 978-7-112-18517-7

2015 - <Modern Weekly> April 25th 2015 Issue 17

2015 - <iLOOK> May 2015 Issue 249, ISSN 1009-9883

2015 - <1314 DESIGN & ART MAGAZINE> March 2015 Issue 038, ISSN 2073-3585

2014 - <ZAO/ARCHITECTURE_CHINE/2014>

2014 - <Beyond Architecture, Advancing Art Force>

2014 - <Special Report on Chengdu Blue Roof Art Festival>, <Chengdu Economic Daily> October 13th 2014, CN51-0073

2014 - <VOGUE> City Special Chengdu, ISSN 1671-010X

2014 - Interview by HANGDANG

WRITING

2015 - <Shenzhen Stock Exchange Welcomes the Public>, Yang Yang, <Time+Architecture> 2015/1, ISSN 1005-684X

2014 - <Look at the Histories, Find the Current Situation, and Speculate on the Future>, Yang Yang + Li Juan, <URBAN WISDOM ADVANCING WITH CHINA> 66, ISSN 1009-7163

2014 - <Dutch Architecture: Attitude and Methodology> , Yang Yang, <Urbanism and Architecture> 1.2014 No.129, ISSN 1673-0232

2014 - <Asia in the Information Era>, Joao Lemos, Viral Agenda