José Marini Bragança was born in 1956. He studied at Lourenço Marques, now Maputo, Mozambique. In 1980, he finished the School of Architecture, University of Lisbon.
He collaborated in the projects for Lisbon Airport’s Aerogare 2 and in the Agrarian School of Bragança. In 1981, he established his own office, and in 1985 he moved to Leiria. He worked for the City Council until 1993 and, among other; he designed the Arrabalde da Ponte Detail Plan, the Mercado Santana revamp project and the project for 20 pre-primary schools.
He won the 2nd place in the competition for the Monument to the 25th of April in Damaia, Lisbon and in the project for 100 houses in Pinhal Novo, Setúbal. He participated in the competition for the building of the Soure Biennale, Coimbra. He participated as a co-author in the project for the new dining hall in the Foreigner Business Ministry and designed the preliminary plan for the Territorial Order in Mouchão da Póvoa with an area of 1300 he, both in Lisbon.
He won the 3rd place in the competition for rehabilitation of Mercado Santana and following an invitation he participated in the final project for PP1 Leiria’s Polis Programme. He designed projects for: Lubrigaz headquarters agent of VW and AUDI cars;; buildings for the car sector, furnishing, health, food industry, sports and apartment blocs with a highlight on the housing and services building in Leiria – finalist in the National Competition of Brick in Architecture. In 2007 he won as a co-author the competition for the entrance of Peralta’s Beach in Lourinhã, Peniche, in 2008 received an honourable mention off international completion for Parco Scientifico Tecnologico Parma – Italy.