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Macau, an enclave in the South China coast, had been administered by the Portuguese since 1557 until 20th December 1999, the date when it was returned to and became a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Macau SAR comprises the peninsula of Macau (7.62 sq Km), the island of Taipa (5.69 sq Km) and the island of Coloane (8.07 sq Km), making up a total area of 21,41 sq Km. Macau was the oldest and the last European settlement in China. Although small in terms of land area, it has a rich historical and cultural background, inhabited by a laborious and creative population of about 450.000 residents. After transition of administration, on 20th December, 1999, the Macau Basic Law became the fundamental law of this Special Administrative Region and which Law grants high degree of autonomy to the local residents to administrate this Region.

In 1980, a group of Architects mainly self-employed professionals founded the MACAU ASSOCIATION OF ARCHITECTS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE.

At a General Meeting held in 1988, the members present thereat had unanimously resolved to amend the by-laws of the Association in order to allow all Architects, either working in the private or in the public sector, such as civil servants, to be entitled to become a Member. Consequently, the name of the Association was changed to ASSOCIACAO DOS ARQUITECTOS DE MACAU ("AAM"). With such an amendment and adoption of the new name, a total of 59 Architects, both from private and public sectors, became Members of AAM.

In 1989, an application was made for admission to UIA and in May 1990 AAM became a full member, as a Territorial Section, in the Montreal XVIII UIA Assembly, and was represented in the UIA working group for the Educational and Cultural Spaces. In 1991, an application was also made for admission to ARCASIA and AAM had been invited to attend its Council meeting in Agra. In the meeting held in Beijing, in 1992, AAM was admitted as member of ARCASIA. AAM has established also relationship with national institutes of Portuguese Speaking Countries and presently is a Member of CIALP (International Council of Portuguese Speaking Architects), which comprises all national institutes of Architects from Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, East Timor and Macau.

 

 

 

 

 

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