João Paupério (Valongo, 1992) and Maria Rebelo (Porto, 1991) are architects graduated from the University of Porto (FAUP) and the co-founders of atelier local.

Between 2015 and 2018, they have both worked at the architecture office Baukunst, in Brussels. Beyond that period, Maria Rebelo carried out her professional internship at Atelier da Bouça – Filipa Guerreiro and Tiago Correia, architects. In 2017–18, João was a guest teaching assistant at the design studio tutored by Prof. Adrien Verschuere, at Université Catholique de Louvain (LOCI-Tournai), where he integrated the jury of several Master's dissertations. He is currently a researcher at the Centre for Studies in Architecture and Urbanism at the University of Porto (CEAU-FAUP), where he is developing his doctoral research as a grantee of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).

In parallel with their professional practice, they have written regularly for magazines and journals, both in Portugal and abroad, such as: Plot (Argentina), lieuxdits (Belgium), Failed Architecture (Netherlands), Ark and PianoB (Italy), Engawa (Spain), Trans (Switzerland), Psiax, ArteCapital or Punkto (Portugal). Since 2020, they contribute regularly as translators and co-editors to Punkto journal.

As a researcher, João was invited to present his work at FAUP, at the Architecture Department of the University of Évora (DAUE) and at the Philosophy Institute of NOVA University in Lisbon (IFILNOVA). Together, they were invited to present the work developed by atelier local at the Architecture Department of the Lisbon University Institute (ISCTE-IUL), where they've also participated in the jury of several Final Projects of Architecture (PFA). Since 2021, they integrate the coordination of the research initiative "An Archaeology of Utopia", together with Ana Catarina Costa and Francisco Ascensão.

In 2023, their first built work (studio-house) was awarded an honourable mention (2nd place) in the first edition of the MGD Award, organised by the Portuguese Order of Architects.