about us – Studio 3A

Our Roots

Therezia Sloet Tot Everlo

Founder & Senior Architect

Driven by our founder’s commitment to creating a sustainable environment, Studio 3A is an architectural practice that prides itself on designing experiences where people and nature coexist seamlessly.

Therezia Sloet tot Everlo, a 2006 architecture graduate from Lisbon’s Lusíada University with a specialisation in Sustainable Environmental Design at the Architectural Association, founded Studio 3A in London, UK, after developing her knowledge at sustainability-conscious practices.

The studio later established an office in Lisbon, Portugal, and in 2024 expanded internationally with the opening of a new office in Guatemala, strengthening our cross-continental vision and engagement with diverse landscapes and cultures.

Over the years, Studio 3A has had the privilege of collaborating with talented architects and designers, including:

Alessandro Aiello, Jose Miguel Martins, Lucia Blanco Ramos, Margarida Roque Farinha, Masayo Velaso, Vasco Burnay

Why Sustainability?

We believe sustainability must be the foundation of all development because, simply put, the well being of human nature as a whole is dependent on adopting sustainable practices. It goes beyond the pre-conceived notion of a house built with recycled materials and covered in plants. It requires the thorough study of the surrounding climate and vernacular architecture as well as the feeling and sense of the place. We design with modern day’s technology focusing on reducing the building’s carbon footprint by mitigating the energy use keeping in mind the user’s comfort. The end product is the concept in its purest form in synergy with nature as if a seed was placed on the ground and a building grew out of it; a thorough connection with its environment, truly belonging there.

“I like ruins because what remains is not the total design, but the clarity of thought, the naked structure, the spirit of the thing.”

Tadao Ando

Environmental Design

The simple perception of natural forms is a delight. Nature’s beauty dazzles our senses – the prominence of a mountain, the expanse of the sea, the unfolding of the life of a flower. Often it is merely the perception of these things itself which gives us pleasure, and this emotional or affective response on our part seems to be crucial to our experience of beauty. At Studio 3A we associate the intrinsic value of nature to the solidness of a well constructed building with all its technicalities; just like a leaf and its veins.

Shape to Belong

Therezia thrives on creating spaces that not only feel special but that thoroughly respond to her client’s needs. That’s why it’s imperative to have an honest dialogue form the start. Furthermore, the occupancy in a building strongly impacts its energy consumption. For a house built in Comporta where hot & dry temperatures can reach 40 degrees at the peak of the summer, it’s important to consider adding transitional spaces. This limits dependency on air conditioning and reduces thermal shock when going from the outside in.

Materials and our senses

We are incredibly enthusiastic about materials, using our five senses to bring out the beauty and nobility of the them; be it lightweight, heavyweight, or in wood, stone, concrete or brick. From the smell of the clay upon entering in an artisan’s pottery to the fresh feeling of a stone in a quarry, Therezia is inspired every where she goes. As an architect with a penchant for design, Therezia ensures that every material transmits the uniqueness it deserves, in the right proportion and scale.