Raul Pires Ferreira Chaves
Encyclopedia
Raúl Pires Ferreira Chaves (1889–1967) was a Portuguese civil engineer
and inventor. A graduate of the Instituto Superior Técnico
of Lisbon. He lived and primarily worked in Portugal
, Cape Verde
and Portuguese Guinea
(currently Guinea-Bissau
).
He invented and patent
ed the "Sistema e material MURUS", a precursor to modern construction systems based on modular blocks, and a contribution to the evolution of the concept of prefabrication
. He utilised these materials in many of his construction projects.
He was Director of Public Works
in Cape Verde. He executed various projects to improve habitability
and contributed to the development of the archipelago
, including the discovery and exploitation of fresh water
in submarine sources on the Ilha do Sal.
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and inventor. A graduate of the Instituto Superior Técnico
Instituto Superior Técnico
Instituto Superior Técnico is a reputed school of engineering, part of Universidade Técnica de Lisboa . IST is the largest and the most prestigious school of engineering in Portugal...
of Lisbon. He lived and primarily worked in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
and Portuguese Guinea
Portuguese Guinea
Portuguese Guinea was the name for what is today Guinea-Bissau from 1446 to September 10, 1974.-History:...
(currently Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
).
He invented and patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed the "Sistema e material MURUS", a precursor to modern construction systems based on modular blocks, and a contribution to the evolution of the concept of prefabrication
Prefabrication
Prefabrication is the practice of assembling components of a structure in a factory or other manufacturing site, and transporting complete assemblies or sub-assemblies to the construction site where the structure is to be located...
. He utilised these materials in many of his construction projects.
He was Director of Public Works
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
in Cape Verde. He executed various projects to improve habitability
Habitability
Habitability is the conformance of a residence or abode to the implied warranty of habitability. A residence that complies is said to be "habitable". It is an implied warranty or contract, meaning it does not have to be an express contract, covenant, or provision of a contract...
and contributed to the development of the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
, including the discovery and exploitation of fresh water
Fresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
in submarine sources on the Ilha do Sal.
Positions held
- Professor do Liceu do Mindelo.
- Director das Obras Públicas da Guiné Portuguesa.
- Director das Obras Públicas de Cabo Verde.
- Presidente da Associação Industrial, Comercial e Agrícola da Guiné.
Sources
- Boletim da Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa - Página 324; Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa - 1928
- Boletim da Agência Geral das Colónias - Página 300; Portugal. Agência Geral das Colónias - 1932: "Raúl Pires Ferreira Chaves — Lisboa — Maquette da cidade e porto de Bissau (Guiné) — Medalha de Ouro.(...)"
- Repartição Provincial dos Serviços de Administração Civil, 1907-1979 - Página 210; Instituto do Arquivo Histórico Nacional (Praia, Cape Verde)
- CHAVES, Raúl Pires Ferreira. (Presidente da Direcção da Associação Comercial, Industrial e Agrícola da Guiné.). Carta endereçada ao Presidente do Sindicato Nacional dos Arquitectos, Lisboa, 11 de Novembro de 1949 [1 página]. Espólio: Biblioteca da SRS/Ordem dos Arquitectos [Manuscritos Avulsos]
- Catálogo da “X Exposição geral de Artes Plásticas 1956 – Dez anos de exposição Geral de Artes Plásticas 1945-1956”; Obra 124 - Projecto para a nova sede da Associação Comercial, Industrial e Agrícola da Guiné, a construir em Bissau.