The DAA – Departamento Autónomo de Arquitectura (Autonomous Department of Architecture) is an organic unit of the University of Minho. It provides teaching and undertakes research and other specialised services for architecture and related subjects. It works jointly with the other departments of the University, according to the general principles defined in its statutes. The Licenciatura Degree in Architecture was created through Senate resolution SU-12/96 of 13th May, and started progressively in the academic year of 1997/1998. Subsequently, the Installation Commission of the Licenciatura Degree in Architecture was formed in October of the same year. According to Article 2 of the Statutes of the University of Minho, “the University of Minho is a collective person of public law, with statutory, scientific, pedagogic, administrative, financial and disciplinary autonomy.” The DAA is a unit within the University of Minho, created under the terms of Article 10 no. 2 of the Statutes of the said University (“projects are managed at the level of the department, organic unit or university as the case requires.”), and it reports directly to the Rector under a Special Regulation.
The DAA used to operate in temporary facilities at the University campus in Azurém, Guimarães. In September 2004, it moved to the School of Architecture building, designed by the architects F. Távora and J.B. Távora, facing the new buildings of the School of Sciences and School of Engineering. Manuel Fernandes described the edifice as a “long straight corridor, forming a long and elegant body ... it systematically distributes all the successive internal spaces that cross it. These are, namely: the lounge spaces, access to the external yard, lecture theatres, library, administrative area and, finally, access to another long wing of the building. Together with the first corridor-body, it forms an L shape and is the location for the offices, laboratories and classrooms. [...] The unique view to the secular and symbolic castle is the constant ‘Leitmotiv’ in these classrooms...”
The DAA became associate no. 532 of the EAAE - European Association for Architectural Education - in March 2006. The EAAE is a 30-year old association, whose major objectives are to exchange ideas in the field of research for architectural teaching, and to achieve a continuous improvement in the knowledge base and quality of teaching of architectural design and urban planning.