Edifer, Pires Coelho & Fernandes, S.A.R.L Profile

Edifer, Pires Coelho & Fernandes, S.A.R.L Profile

25 Anos da Edifer (1991). Lisboa, Edifer.

PT BUILDS

Rua Fontainhas, 62, Venda Nova, Amadora, Portugal.

1966

António Pires Fernandes

Joaquim Pires Coelho

Luís Pires Fernandes

Amaro Lobato

Maria da Previdência Pereira

2016

Edifer finds its origins in Sardoal. It was in the hands of Fernando Pires Coelho that the company began to take shape, as he left for Lisbon to study Civil Construction and started a business career in the construction sector, having founded the “Sociedade de Construção Fernando Pires Coelho Lda.”, in 1953, with his brother-in-law Amaro Lobato as partner. Years later the brothers of Fernando Pires Coelho, António Pires Coelho, Joaquim Pires Coelho, Luis Pires Fernandes and Maria da Providência Pereira, also founded the " Sociedade Pires Fernandes, e Irmãos Lda.". Being competitors in various works, they decided to join forces, merge the two companies and create "Edifer, Construções Pires Coelho & Fernandes S.A.R.L.". At the head of the company were the five brothers and Amaro Lobato.

In 1967 Edifer began its activity with the construction of a building in Benfica, Lisbon, and with its headquarters in Venda Nova, Amadora. Between 1966 and 1969, Edifer made the first major work, which would project the company in the national picture, with the Palace of Justice of Lisbon. Another major reference in the company's history was the construction of Banco Lioyds in 1988, which won the Valmor architecture award that same year. Other works are part of the company's extensive portfolio, such as the PT (Portugal Telecom) building for installation of the Laranjeiras plant in Lisbon, the Garcia da Horta Hospital in Almada, or even the Museum of Ethnology, also in Lisbon.

In 1976, Fernando Pires Coelho acquired several lands near the headquarters to expand the company's facilities. He bought land belonging to the Amadora City Council for workshops, day care and employees' dormitories. Thus, in Venda Nova's facilities, the company concentrated the offices, workshops, training center, refectory, nursery, dormitory and court of justice, created by Joaquim Bruno Pires Coelho to solve judicial problems within the company, such as work-related accidents and occupational problems. The offices were divided into several departments, having, for example, an Architect’s office to design the projects, not invalidating the hiring of architects outside the company, having the company collaborated with, for example, Siza Vieira. It also had an office of engineers, among other departments.

Edifer grew during the second half of the twentieth century, becoming one of the largest construction companies in the country and reaching 9081 workers at the height of construction in Portugal. In 2003 the company changed its legal name from “Edifer, Pires Coelho & Fernandes S.A.R.L.” to “Edifer, Pires Coelho & Fernandes, S.A.”. However, with the 2009 global crisis, Edifer suffered a lot in its projects and the economic difficulties got worse as the new decade progressed. This process culminated in the sale of the company to Grupo Elevo as early as 2016.

Click on the selected works below to know more about them:

The timeline of works done by/with the collaboration of Edifer, Pires Coelho & Fernandes, S.A.R.L