About

monade is a research, curatorial and publishing independent platform founded by architects dedicated to conceive and produce exquisite books on architecture, photography, art and thought.

monade has a strong international presence, distributing in the best bookshops in the world, such as Museum Pompidou Paris, Tate Modern London, ICA London, CCB Barcelona, Instituto Moreira Salles São Paulo, Alte Nationalgalerie Berlin, William Stout Books San Francisco, Walther König, GA Gallery Tokyo, etc.

Monade has been establishing partnerships for events and exhibitions with institutions such as Chicago Architecture Biennial, Canadian Centre for Architecture, Lisbon Architecture Triennale, Itaú Cultural Brazil, Fundação Gulbenkian, Fundação de Serralves, The Venice Architecture Biennale, ROLEX Art Institute, USI Mendrisio School of Architecture, GSAPP - Columbia University of Architecture.

Based in Lisbon, monade is founded and run by the architects:
Daniela Sá and João Carmo Simões

We believe that the book is a strong medium to express complex contents and relations. We believe that the silence of a book is a powerful medium in accelerated times. Working in close relation with architects, artists and writers, we are committed to create innovative books, pushing its limits. Each book is created with a particular attention to its details and form, as an opportunity of gathering relations with different disciplines and materials, widening possibilities of thought.

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mo·na·de (n.) from Greek μoνάς, 'unit' in turn from μόνος, monos. A simple and irreducible substance, created from the beginning. Any basic metaphysical entity, especially having an autonomous life. Simple union between spirit and matter.

Let’s suppose that the movement of thought is suddenly blocked – and thus produced in a constellation overloaded with tensions, a kind of shock in return; a shaking that will lead the image to improvise its organization, to construct itself as a monade. — W. Benjamin

mo·na·de (n.) do grego μονάς, 'unidade', de μόνος, monos. Substância simples e irredutível, criada desde o princípio. Entidade metafísica básica, contendo vida própria. União simples entre espírito e matéria.

Suponhamos que o movimento do pensamento se encontra subitamente bloqueado - produzir-se-á então numa constelação sobrecarregada de tensões, uma espécie de choque em retorno; um abalo que levará a imagem a organizar-se de improviso, a construir-se como uma monade. — W. Benjamin