Maria Milano is an architect, teacher and curator. Since 1996, she has coordinated the Interior Design courses at ESAD – Escola Superior de Artes e Design, and is currently the director of the Master’s in this area.

Maria has been responsible for several international architecture and design exhibitions and seminars, highlighting the curatorship of ‘Siza Design. A Busca do Sentido do Tempo’ (2015), from the Pavilhão de Portugal at the ‘XXI Milan Triennale’ (2015), or from ‘Duets – Art On Chairs’ (2012). She was the curator of ‘Território Itália’, a guest country at the 1st edition of the Porto Design Biennale, where she also coordinated the exhibition ‘Frontiere – Expressões de Design Contemporâneo’ (2019).

Maria is co-author of the collection ‘A Casa de Quem Faz as Casas’ (2016/17), distributed by the newspaper Público, and coordinator of the homonymous documentaries broadcast by TVI24. She is the director of the ‘Portuguese Architects’ collection, also distributed by Público newspaper (2011 and 2013), and author of the monograph ‘José Gigante’ (2011) and the book ‘Paolo Deganello. The Reasons for My Radical Project’ (2009). She is also the author of several building rehabilitation works.

In recognition of the relevant work of cultural rapprochement, for the culture of living and project culture between Italy and Portugal, Maria Milano was distinguished in 2023 by the President of the Italian Republic with the Title of Honor “Cavaliere al Merito della Repubblica Italiana”.