Fernando Martins was born in Paris, in 1978. He graduated at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (Master in Architecture), and then worked at Alcino Soutinho Arquitecto Lda for four years. Meanwhile, he co-founded the atelier.aberto, with Luca Dubini and Sofia Santos, a small but published and honoured architecture practice. He is now exploring new territories.

Being curious and transdisciplinary by nature, Fernando has been exploring and experimenting different ways that creativity and culture can interfere with the way cities are lived, with and for its habitants. He was part of the team of Guimarães 2012 European Capital of Culture for two intensive years, leading, curating and managing the Pop Up Culture project, part of the City Cluster of the Guimarães 2012 programme. The project consisted in reactivating unoccupied spaces, through temporary, creative and collaborative processes, setting unexpected examples of its potential and re-imagining the way the city was lived. The result was very positive, and even surprising.