​​Was born in Porto, Portugal, in 1964.  He is married and has two daughters.

Graduated in  Civil Engineering by the University of Porto in 1987; MSc in Structures by the University of Porto in 1991, and PhD in Construction Engineering by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Barcelona, in 1995; Habilitation in Structures by the University of Minho, in 2005.

Faculty member of the University of Minho since 1989, initially at the Civil Engineering Department, where he was Head of Department from 2003 to 2004. Dean of the School of Architecture from 2004 to 2011. Full Professor of Construction and Technology at the School of Architecture since 2008.

He teaches and researches in the field of Structures, privileging the articulation between Structures and Architecture. Coordinator of the Construction and Technology Laboratory of the School of Architecture, which explores innovative technological, constructive and structural solutions, and of the Advanced Ceramics R&D Lab at the Design Institute of Guimarães, the main objective of which  is the application of additive manufacturing techniques to ceramic components.

Director of the Product Design Degree (2013-2017), of the Civil Engineering Master (2005-2007) and of the Civil Engineering Degree (1996-1999). Director of the Lab2PT – Landscapes, Heritage and Territory Laboratory, a R&D unit of the School of Architecture and of the Institute of Social Sciences (2015-2017). President of the UM-Cities Platform since 2016 and President of the Design Institute of Guimarães since 2015.

Supervisor of 15 doctoral theses concluded. He is the author of more than three hundred scientific publications and has a wide experience of participation and coordination of research projects.

Founder and President of the International Association of Structures and Architecture since 2016. Chairman of several international conferences in this field (ICSA2010, ICSA2013, ICSA2016 and ICSA2019). Secretary to the Executive Committee of IABMAS – International Association for Bridge Maintenance and Safety, since 2001. Founder of ASCP – Portuguese Association for the Safety and Maintenance of Bridges and President since 2006.

Member of the Executive Board of the Fundação Cidade de Guimarães (2011-2013), institution devoted to the conception, promotion, execution, planning and development of the cultural programme of the European Capital of Culture – Guimarães 2012.

Associate Editor of the “Structure and Infrastructure Engineering” Journal by Taylor & Francis since 2005; member of the Editorial Board of the “Steel Construction” Journal by Ernst & Sohn, Wiley since 2011 and member of the Editorial Board of “Glass Structures & Engineering” Journal by Springer since 2016.

Representative of Portugal at CEN TC250 WG3 – Structural Glass (2010-2016) and at CEN TC250 SC11 – Structural Glass since 2016. Senior Member of the Order of Engineers (2002) and Expert in Structures (2003). Member of the National College of Civil Engineering (2010-2013). Member of the Scientific Council of Social Sciences and Humanities of the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (2013-2016).

In 2008 he was awarded the “Special Service Award” by IABMAS and the gold medal of the Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland. In 2005 he was awarded the “Thomas Fitch Rowland” Award by the ASCE – American Society of Civil Engineers.​