Frequently asked questions.
Practical questions about ORIRI's services, process, and how an engagement typically starts.
01Is ORIRI a newly founded firm?
Yes. ORIRI was established in 2026 — a deliberate choice to bring nearly two decades of prior engineering experience into a focused, contemporary practice, rather than continuing inside a larger corporate structure.
02What services does ORIRI provide?
Three integrated areas: Engineering Design & Building Services, Project Coordination & BIM, and Technical Consultancy & Construction Support. They're designed to be used together or independently, depending on what a project needs.
03What is BIM coordination, and why does ORIRI use it?
BIM coordination means using a shared building model — not just software or 3D visualisation — to align every engineering discipline, catch conflicts between systems early, and keep the design buildable before it reaches site. It sits at the centre of ORIRI's method rather than being a separate add-on.
04Does ORIRI work directly with architects, or only with clients?
Both. ORIRI is typically brought in by architects or developers, and works alongside a network of specialised partners across engineering disciplines — scaling from a single discipline to a fully coordinated multidisciplinary team while keeping technical coordination in one place.
05What is ORIRI's six-stage design process?
Analysis, Engineering Strategy, Design Development & Modelling, Coordination & Clash Resolution, Detailed Design, and Construction Support — a method that carries a project from initial concept through to site.
06Where is ORIRI based, and does it work outside the Algarve?
ORIRI is based in Loulé, in the Algarve, and that's where most of its work is concentrated — but the practice also takes on projects elsewhere in Portugal.
07Does ORIRI have completed projects I can see?
Not yet. ORIRI's first projects are still under development, so there is no portfolio to show at this stage. This page and the rest of the site describe the practice's method and experience honestly, without presenting invented or placeholder work.
08How do I start a project with ORIRI?
Get in touch through the contact page with a short description of your project. Meetings are available by appointment.
09What size or type of project does ORIRI take on?
Contemporary private residences, residential developments, hospitality & tourism, multi-residential, commercial & service buildings, and refurbishment & rehabilitation — with particular strength in technically demanding projects involving large spans, cantilevers, or complex geometries.
10Is Teresa Gaspar Sustelo a registered engineer?
Yes. Teresa Gaspar Sustelo, ORIRI's founder, is a full member of the Ordem dos Engenheiros — the Portuguese Order of Engineers.
11Does ORIRI provide construction supervision, or only design?
Both. Technical Consultancy & Construction Support covers design review and verification, technical due diligence, licensing support, and construction supervision — not just up-front design work.
12What makes ORIRI different from a larger, established firm?
A focused structure built around integration, anticipation and rigour — coordinating disciplines from the start rather than resolving conflicts late, and keeping technical decision-making close to the project rather than distributed across a large organisation.