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Respect. (from the lat. respectu) n. 1. respect; 2. consideration; high regard; 3. deference; compliance; veneration; 4. honour; worship; 5. relation; refererence...
We believe that everyone should be respected for their work, for their attitudes, opinions and options.
Rigor. (from the lat. rigore) n. 1. harshness; strength; 2.fig., severity; punctuality; accuracy.
There is no "more or less levelled", "more or less upright”, "more or less clean" or "more or less safe", but rather “levelled”, "upright”, "clean” and “safe". The rigour is reflected in our procedures, in time and in the rules to follow. In the light of moral and principles, being severe means being rigorous.
Passion. (from the lat. passione) n. 1. intense and usually violent feeling (affection, joy, hate, etc.) which hinders the exercise of impartial logic; 2. derived from a feeling; 3. great predilection; 4. partiality; 5. great grief; immense suffering...
Under the sign of passion – a text of the Portuguese poet Regina Guimarães – is our icon. Passion is to reveal great enthusiasm for something, favourable encouragement or opposite to something.
It is the sensibility transmitted by an architect or engineer through work.
Passion is the dedication to a project. Passion is a state of warm soul.
Loyalty. (from the lat. legalitate) n. the quality of being loyal; fidelity; sincerity.
Respect for the principles and rules that guide the honour and probity. Faithfulness to commitments and agreements undertaken, staunch character.
To remain loyal to the business partners because we depend on them and they depend on us.
Being trustworthy for being loyal.
Solidarity. (from the lat. solidare) n. 1. the quality of being solidary; 2. reciprocal responsibility among the members of a group, namely social, professional, etc.; 3. sense of sharing another’s suffering.
Being solidary is being a friend, offering our hand with genuine generosity and bringing joy and human warmth to those who, somehow, are marginalized. Being solidary is being more human. A solidary company is recognized as a fair and non-selfish company. A solidary company is a preferred choice in business. It is a more competitive company. Volunteering is a vehicle to solidarity. It is modern, fair, cultured, friend, it is a noble gesture of moral elevation.
Courage. (from the lat. coraticum) n. 1. bravery facing danger; intrepidity; to have audacity; 2. moral force before a suffering or setback; 3. [fig.] to input energy when performing a difficult task; perseverance...
Courage is essential in our life. Courage to face less pleasant situations when complex issues come up, not expecting random resolutions.
It is a value that we must highlight as opposed to the fearful, cowardly and laziness.
The courage to react to criticism not with an attitude of demotivation or sadness, but rather to search for the means and the action to overcome its own reason. This kind of courage, which is also an intellectual courage, is highly recommended.
Ambition. (from the lat. ambitione) n. 1. vehement desire of wealth, honours or glories; 2. expectation about the future; aspiration; 3. lust; greed…
Vehement desire to achieve a particular goal. Ambition not to resign ourselves. Ambition to take the best potential from ourselves. Ambition to deserve ourselves. Ambition to be athletes in our top-level competitive jobs. Ambition to beat our brands. Ambition to get the best deals with the maximum value, due to the high levels of proficiency and efficiency.
Esthetics. ESTHETICS (from the Greek aisthetiké, "sensitive") n.f. 1. Philosophy branch of philosophy that studies the beauty and nature of artistic phenomena; 2. author's own style, time, etc.; 3. harmony of shapes and colors, beauty; 4. set of techniques and treatments that aim to beautify the body.
We decided to build the company's economic foundations under a cultured, cosmopolitan and cool image. Because it is a charming state of being. Good taste because we are sustainable and we respect the planet. Good taste because we are sensitive. Good taste just because.
Responsibility. (from the lat respondere) n. the trait of being answerable to someone for something or being responsible for one's conduct; a form of trustworthiness.
We must be certain that, before a choice, we chose what is best for both of us and not just the best for each one. Each employee is responsible for his negotiated activity and co-responsible if the co-worker does not fulfil his own task, thus preventing the common goal. A team is a set of individuals - is a whole. In the business game, as in social or family contexts, everyone must comply with their own relative position and we shall not permit that one of ours fails to be in our team.
CONSTRUIR
ZETHAUS, the 100% industrialized arm of dstgroup, is entering a decisive phase this year: full-scale production, with certified three-dimensional modules and first production contracts. The company looks at the needs of the domestic market, but aims for internationalization, with a strong focus on European markets, namely France and Germany. A strategy based on the conviction that the industrialization of construction is the answer to the housing crisis and the urgent need for fairer and more sustainable cities.
ZETHAUS is the brand dedicated to industrialized construction of the Braga-based dstgroup.com With roots in the 1940s, the dstgroup operates in areas such as Engineering & Construction (responsible for most of its turnover), Environment, Renewable Energy, Telecommunications, and Ventures, employing around 3,600 people. ZETHAUS represents the arm 100% focused on the off-site production of modular buildings, with its own factory and processes that prioritize efficiency, sustainability, and human architectural quality. In January 2026, ZETHAUS is in a critical phase of transition: from applied research to full industrial operation. “2026 can be seen as a key year for ZETHAUS as a fully operational industrial platform, marking the transition to a phase of continuous production, with certified solutions, capacity for scale, and a model prepared to respond to different functional programs and geographical contexts,” emphasizes Maria Luísa Barbosa, architect and executive administrator at bysteel fs, another company in the dst group dedicated to metal construction and which has been involved, since the beginning, in the creation of ZETHAUS and in the development of the mobilizing agenda R2U Te-chnologies modular system, which was the birthplace of ZETHAUS.
Among the concrete milestones in the still short history of this young company, "in addition to the five buildings that make up the Living Lab, ZETHAUS recently achieved a significant milestone by winning a public tender for the design and production of a student residence for the Polytechnic Institute of Porto, in Felgueiras. This building will be produced entirely in the factory and transported to the site in three-dimensional modules 13.5 meters long, in a 3D solution that clearly demonstrates the technical and logistical maturity of the ZETHAUS system.
At the same time, there has been a growing supply of industrialized subsystems, namely bathroom and kitchen pods, infrastructure walls, modular facades, and technical courtyards. This demand confirms the relevance of a hybrid approach, which combines fully off-site solutions with industrialized components that can be integrated into traditional buildings, facilitating the progressive adoption of industrialization by the market," says the manager. The “Living Lab,” a living laboratory built on the dstgroup campus, is at the center of the strategy and development of a construction system that points to “a future in which architecture transcends mere functionality.” Here, industrialized construction solutions are tested, monitored, and adjusted under real conditions. "Solutions are being developed for collective housing, student and senior residences, hotels, and a health center, combining fully factory-finished three-dimensional modules with two-dimensional systems that allow for greater architectural adaptation. This environment allows us to validate technical, energy, and functional performance, transforming innovation into a continuous and measurable process," explains Luís Trigueiros Reis, architect and design manager at ZETHAUS.
Those responsible highlight the clear advantages of the ZETHAUS approach: reduction of construction times between 20% and 60%, significant reduction in waste and carbon footprint, better thermal performance, and certified scalability. “Factory production allows for rigorous management of materials and greater environmental control, extending these benefits into the use phase,” they say.
THE HUMANISTIC PHILOSOPHY THAT GUIDES THE PROCESS
The philosophical vision of a humanistic “new Bauhaus” guides the entire process: “This is not an abstract manifesto, but a matrix that guides the design of systems, the choice of materials, and production processes,” explains Luís Trigueiros Reis. Every detail reflects the synthesis between technique, culture, and social responsibility, overcoming historical stigmas that associate industrialization with temporary or lower-quality solutions.
The company's international debut at the end of 2025 reinforced this message, with Italy, “the epicenter of European architectural reflection,” chosen as the venue for two symposiums. The first was at the Milan Triennale on November 7, as part of Norman Foster's “Inequalities” exhibition, which invited the brand to present its modules. A few days later, on November 19, it was held at the IUAV in Venice, in parallel with the Biennale. Multidisciplinary debates brought together names such as Cino Zucchi, Gonçalo Byme, Nina Bassoli, Pedro Cabrita Reis, and Adrian Paci, focusing on housing inequality, integrated sustainability, and the social/moral role of architecture, including “beauty as a bridge between poverty and a good life.”
“THE SYMPOSIUMS ORGANIZED BY ZETHAUS IN MILAN AND VENICE WERE CONCEIVED AS SPACES FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY REFLECTION ON THE IMPACT OF INDUSTRIALIZED CONSTRUCTION ON CITIES AND SOCIETY,” says Luís Trigueiros Reis.
The choice of Italy also reflects the ambition to take the activity beyond national borders, as the housing crisis crosses borders. “Internationalization is a strategic focus for ZETHAUS, with a strong commitment to European markets, particularly France and Germany, where an office building has already been completed,” confides Maria Luísa Barbosa. The company is now focused on obtaining international certifications, which are essential for scaling the model and ensuring regulatory compliance.
In line with the priorities of the European Union, ZETHAUS positions itself as the European response to the housing and climate crisis: “the dstgroup's internationalization project anticipated vectors that are now considered priorities, such as industrial investment, technological innovation, integrated digitization, the development of new materials, and the creation of internal knowledge.” In this sense, “designed to be replicable, scalable, and adaptable, the Zethaus system presents itself as a European, industrial, and certified response to a crisis that requires predictable, sustainable, and socially responsible solutions, demonstrating that industrialization can be a decisive instrument of economic efficiency, environmental responsibility, and social justice,” concludes Maria Luísa Barbosa.
2026 can be seen as a key year for ZETHAUS as a fully operational industrial platform, marking the transition to a phase of continuous production, with certified solutions, scalability, and a model prepared to respond to different functional programs and geographical contexts.
Solutions are being developed for collective housing, student and senior residences, hotels, and a health center, combining fully factory-finished three-dimensional modules with two-dimensional systems that allow for greater architectural adaptation. This environment allows for the validation of technical, energy, and functional performance, transforming innovation into a continuous and measurable process.