SAMI-arquitectos was established in 2005 by Inês Vieira da Silva and Miguel Vieira and since then the practice has won recognition from architectural critics and numerous national and international awards namely the AICA Award for Visual Arts and Architecture 2015, 2017 (Lisbon), by the International Association of Art Critics, the Portuguese Ministry of Culture and Millenium BCP Foundation ; X BIAU Award-Ibero-American Architecture and Urbanism Biennial, 2016 (Madrid/São Paulo) and IX BIAU Award, 2014 (Madrid/Rosario); European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention-AADIPA, 2015 (Barcelona); Tektónica/OA National Award | Emergent Architecture, 2009 (Lisbon).

They were shortlisted - Swiss Architectural Award 2018 (Lugano), Awarded - Prémio Nacional de Arquitectura em Madeira 2017 (Porto), selected - VII Enor Prize, 2017 (Vigo), shortlisted - BSI-Swiss Architectural Award, 2016 (Lugano); nominee - European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture–Mies van der Rohe Award, 2015, 2011, 2007 (Barcelona); finalists - FAD Awards, 2015, 2012, 2011 (Barcelona); finalists - Début Award-Lisbon Triennale Millenium bcp, 2013 (Lisbon); Awarded - Prémio Nacional de Arquitectura em Madeira 2011 (Oporto) and finalists - V BIAU Award-Ibero-American Architecture and Urbanism Biennial, 2006 (Madrid/Montevideo).

In 2018 and 2014 they were invited to participate in the 16th and 14th International Architecture Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia (Italy), in 2017 they were invited to participate in the 2nd Chicago Architecture Biennial (USA), and in 2014 and 2011 they were part of the portuguese oficial representation of the 9th São Paulo International Architecture Biennial (Brazil).

In 2011 the practice has been selected for the Wallpaper* Architects Directory 2011 (London) among the 20 world's most promising young practices and in 2007 SAMI-arquitectos was included in the short list of 100 young architects of around the world recommended by Herzog & de Meuron for the Villa Ordos100 project (P.R. China).

Besides invitations to participate in several exhibitions in Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina and United States of America, its work has been internationally presented in specialized publication, namely in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, Romania, P.R. China, South Korea, Argentina and United States of America.

Inês Vieira da Silva and Miguel Vieira have been invited to participate in several conferences in Portugal, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Argentina and Switzerland.

They have participate as guest critics at Accademia di Architettura, Mendrisio (Switzerland), Dublin Institute of Technology (Ireland), Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (Spain), Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (Portugal), Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa (Portugal), Kingston University - Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture (London, United Kingdom) and École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Strasbourg (France).

Inês Vieira da Silva and Miguel Vieira are Professor of Architecture (2nd year) at the Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, since 2019.