“It is with immense sadness that the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Lisbon announces the passing of Professor José Brandão, who left us today, March 26, 2025,” reads a statement on the website of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Lisbon, where he had been an emeritus professor since 2017.
José Brandão was born in New York in 1944 and began his professional career in 1961, later collaborating with the atelier of Daciano da Costa from 1964 to 1966, as noted on the faculty’s website.
In 1966, Brandão moved to Paris, and by 1967, he had relocated to London to join Ravensbourne University London as a Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation scholar.
During the 1970s, he began his teaching career, first in London from 1970 to 1971, then at what is now the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon from 1976 to 1995, and later at the Faculty of Architecture. He was instrumental in establishing the Master’s program in Communication Design and was a key member of the Doctoral Council in Design, significantly contributing to the advancement of design education in Portugal, the statement further highlights.
Starting in 1975 in Portugal, Brandão embarked on a career as an independent designer, creating album covers for artists such as José Afonso, Sérgio Godinho, Fausto, Janita Salomé, and Carlos Mendes, as well as book covers for works like “Os Passos em Volta” by Herberto Helder and “Animal Farm” by George Orwell. He also designed film posters for titles like “Kilas, o Mau da Fita,” “Crónica dos Bons Malandros,” “Deus Pátria Autoridade,” and “Sem Sombra de Pecado,” and worked for the Figueira da Foz International Film Festival from 1974 to 1980. In 1976, he co-founded the Portuguese Association of Designers, where he held positions in both the Executive and General Assemblies.
In 1982, alongside his wife, Salette Brandão, he founded the B2 Design Studio, managing projects for various institutions, including the Presidency of the Republic, the Ministries of Education, Culture, and Science, the Portuguese Postal Services (CTT), the National Commission for the Commemorations of Portuguese Discoveries, the Bank of Portugal, the EXPO’92 in Seville, the São Luiz Municipal Theater, and foundations like Calouste Gulbenkian, Oriente, Luso-American, and Espírito Santo.
“José Brandão’s work has been widely recognized, earning him numerous awards, both national and international, including the Career Award in 2001 and the APOM Best Exhibition Award in 1995 and Personality of the Year in 2017. He was also honored with the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Infante D. Henrique in 2006,” as further noted by the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Lisbon.
