Forvis Mazars Porto Offices by GRAU.ZERO Architecture Receives the Bronze A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design

GRAU.ZERO Architecture recognized for interior space and exhibition design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 20, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ Forvis Mazars Porto Offices by GRAU.ZERO Architecture has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The award was conferred within the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.

About the Bronze A' Design Award

The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.

Regarding Forvis Mazars Porto Offices

Forvis Mazars is an office interior located on a single floor of the Icon Douro building in Porto, Portugal. The workspace covers about 700 square meters and includes individual workstations, phone booths, collaborative areas, meeting rooms, a reception and support spaces. The layout supports a fully flexible working model based on clean desk and anywhere office practices. Handcrafted textured plaster and natural stone are combined with veneer wood panels and light reflecting surfaces. Recycled materials and a neutral color palette create a calm and timeless setting.

About GRAU.ZERO Architecture

Founded in 2004, GRAU.ZERO Architecture is a multidisciplinary studio based in Porto with representation in Lisbon. Operating through GRAU.ZERO and LUGRE Design, the studio works across architecture, interiors, and design. It delivers client-centred, BIM-integrated solutions across the tourism, healthcare, restoration and real estate sectors, with projects in nine countries across three continents.

Award Record

With this recognition, GRAU.ZERO Architecture is a winner of 2 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted in the 2025 - 2026 edition of the A' Design Award & Competition.

About the A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award

The A' Interior Design Award is an international interior design competition recognizing good interior designs by interior designers and architects worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to interior designers, interior architects, architects and decorators from all countries. Typical entries include residential interiors, restaurants, hotels, offices, galleries and retail stores. The awarded interior designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/interior

About A' Design Award & Competition

Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com

Press Resources

Winner Page: https://designers.org/181937
A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/181937
Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!181937
Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/380494
Further Information from the Laureate: https://grauzero.com/works/forvis-mazars-porto/

Media Contact

Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953

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Fact Sheet

The Work

Project: Forvis Mazars Porto Offices
Function: Porto Offices
Category: Interior Space and Exhibition Design
Discipline: Spatial Design
Industry: Architecture and Packaging & Retail
Colors: Black, Dim Gray, Rosy Brown, Dark Slate Gray and Gray
Images: 5

The Recognition

Laureate: GRAU.ZERO Architecture
Country: Portugal
Recognition: Bronze A' Design Award
Edition: 2025 - 2026
Design ID: #181937

Credits

Team: Sérgio Manuel Nobre, Renata Caetano Pereira, Stefani Goulart, Fantoffice, Lda, Eng. Fernando Oliveira (Master Eletric), Eng. Marco Gomes (Amperengenharia) and Eng. João Silva Ferreira
Image Credits: Ivo Tavares Studio - Architectural Photographer

Design Details

Unique Properties: For Forvis Mazars' new offices in Porto, our aim was to make the company’s core values the guiding thread of the physical space, reflecting its identity, positioning, and ambition. To avoid the conventional appearance of a workspace and create a timeless spatial identity, we embraced a concept based on full flexibility, in line with the company's existing clean desk and anywhere office practices. The result is a rich yet calm sensory environment that evokes emotion and encourages focus.
Inspiration: Given the global nature of Forvis Mazars, the conceptual approach was built on duality, aiming to strike a balance between technological precision and artisanal subjectivity. Handcrafted, bespoke, natural and organic elements coexist with rational, precise and technological elements. Reflective surfaces are juxtaposed with coarser materials, such as textured plaster and stone. This creates a narrative in which this constant dialogue between opposites enriches the space with depth and emotion.
Research: The team analysed the company's existing offices, values and brand identity as a global leader in audit, tax and advisory services. Given its presence in over 100 countries, the aim was to strike a balance between precision and subjectivity. The result is a flexible, human-centred environment that challenges the traditional appearance of a workspace. It is sensorially rich yet calm, creating an emotionally engaging and focused setting.
Challenge: The primary challenge was to move away from the traditional, rigid, institutional image typically associated with audit and advisory firms while reflecting the global stature and identity of the company. The solution was a concept built on duality that embraced imperfection as an aesthetic value by juxtaposing contrasting materials and finishes. This balance of opposing qualities transformed the conventional corporate space into a timeless, human-centred environment.
Realization and Technology: The project is characterised by a layered material strategy, juxtaposing handcrafted textured plaster and natural stone with veneer wood panels, and light-reflecting surfaces. The use of recycled materials contributes to its sustainability by reducing the environmental impact associated with virgin raw materials. The colour scheme features a neutral palette with subtle accents of colour. Flexibility and collaboration in the use of space were also key, as was a strong visual identity.
Operation and Interaction: In pursuit of a spatial identity that aligns with the organisation's values, we embraced the concept of full flexibility, incorporating clean desk and anywhere office principles. The spatial proposal integrates collaborative areas and cutting-edge technology, with a particular focus on people’s well-being. Despite the increasingly digital nature of the workplace, our goal was to create an environment in which productivity, mental health, innovation and human connection can coexist.
Project Duration and Location: The project was completed in 2024 and is located in Porto, Portugal, at the Icon Douro building.
Specifications: The project spans approximately 700 square meters, located on a single floor within the Icon Douro building in Porto, Portugal. The spatial programme comprises individual workstations, phone booths, collaborative areas, meeting rooms, a reception and support spaces. All designed to support a fully flexible working model based on clean desk and anywhere office practices.
Keywords: Office Interior, Workplace Architecture, Portuguese Architecture, Porto