With a trajectory marked by sensitivity towards the environment, the poetics of the landscape, and an architecture deeply rooted in the place, César Portela recently visited the BIRDMIND factory to learn about the manufacturing process of RiceTab, the innovative, sustainable, and 100% circular material made from rice husk.
We took the opportunity to speak with this benchmark in the sector, National Architecture Award winner, about sustainability, innovation, regulations, and the role that materials play in more conscious architecture. A relaxed, enriching dialogue full of ideas that invite us to look to the future with commitment.
Do you perceive a real shift in the sector towards more conscious and sustainable construction?
Yes, I believe so. Everything is moving in that direction because there’s no other option. The world seems very big when you have to walk it on foot, but it’s very limited to support the population it has. We have to be resourceful to get a lot out of things without overusing them, because it has limits.
What trends do you think will mark the future of sustainable design and construction?
I believe we need to make the most of what’s available and make the most of what’s left over, because otherwise, the world won’t be able to accommodate everything you throw away every day. So, everything that is recycling is important; something that served a purpose at first, we need to find another use for it to take advantage of it and prevent it from ending up in a landfill.
Throughout your career, you’ve shown a special sensitivity towards the environment and the landscape. What role do you think materials like RiceTab can play in architecture that is more integrated with nature?
Undoubtedly, everything that integrates with nature and doesn’t destroy nature, but rather takes advantage of what it produces, integrating forms and colors, is key, as conscious or unconscious man has always done. And it’s clear that there’s no other way.

In your work, there’s a constant search for balance between tradition and innovation. How is that balance also found in materials?
I believe everything is in sync. All modern material solutions must have a use that justifies their location in a place and be made with taste, intelligence, and respect for the site they are integrated into. Everything has to go that way, whether we like it or not.
What challenges and opportunities do you see for architecture in the coming years in terms of sustainability, habitability, and constructive ethics?
We have to think that everything you build in nature must be taken advantage of as much as possible, and that it should be usable and useful. And that the human being who uses it enjoys it and, at the same time, is respectful.
Do you believe current regulations favor or hinder the incorporation of more sustainable and circular solutions in architecture?
It’s important that legislation is based on logical objectives, because otherwise, it’s pure bureaucracy. It’s about legislating to somewhat accompany what intuitively should already be so, without the need for legislation.
Sometimes, opting for 100% sustainable and circular materials also requires a slightly greater investment. Our RiceTab material, for example, has a slightly higher cost than traditional boards (Chipboard, MDF). In general, is the sector willing to pay this difference to integrate tangible sustainability into their projects?
When I started working, I recommended certain things that apparently were more expensive than others on the market, but there are many things that, if they are good, are cheap in the long run.
You’ve now experienced our material firsthand, developed after years of research, which we’ve managed to incorporate important characteristics for the sector, such as being formaldehyde-free, fire-retardant (Bs1d0 in its RiceTab+ format), water-repellent, and antifungal. What do you think of it? And the possibilities it offers to the architect or decorator?
It’s an example of good work and successful innovation, because there are apparent innovations that later turn out not to be. This material is very interesting. We need to make people understand its values; if they don’t explain it to you, you might think it’s just another board, and it’s a board that has very appreciable and very suitable conditions for the sector.
