Leadership
The leadership behind Guedu Atelier reflects the vision of Karolline Dutra, a professional who unites technical expertise, creative sensibility, and international experience. With a multidisciplinary approach, Karolline believes that the true value of a project lies in the balance between engineering precision, design creativity, and a deep understanding of people and places. This human and strategic perspective defines the very essence of Guedu Atelier.
With over a decade of international experience in cost management, construction, and project leadership, Karolline Dutra has delivered multimillion-euro developments across Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Brazil, spanning sectors such as hospitality, luxury real estate, healthcare, data centers, and heritage renovation.
Throughout her career, she has demonstrated an exceptional ability to combine strategic insight with operational excellence, leading value engineering initiatives that generated €21M in savings on a €560M project, and managing 300+ change orders for large-scale developments. Her background also includes procurement coordination with over 250 material samples and collaboration with diverse international stakeholders.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University Vale do Rio Doce, in Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais (Brazil), and a postgraduate specialization in Building Conservation and Rehabilitation from the Lisbon Institute of Engineering. She is a member of the Portuguese Engineers Association and the Regional Council of Engineering and Agronomy (CREA) in Brazil.
A wine enthusiast — and the inspiration behind Guedu Atelier’s color palette and visual identity —, Karolline holds the WSET Level 1 international certification and has professional experience in wine trading. Passionate about the arts, with a special appreciation for Renaissance art, music, sports, and continuous learning, she finds inspiration in cultural diversity and travel, which led her to study new languages and expand her worldview. To her, wine, art, and design share the same essence: time, balance, and authenticity — values that define both her creative process and the philosophy of Guedu Atelier.
“Founding Guedu Atelier represents the fulfillment of a lifelong aspiration — to bring together years of experience into an original, integrated approach.
The company was created to deliver complete, creative, and efficient solutions in construction and design, with an unwavering attention to detail.
What began as a passion has evolved into a purpose — and ultimately, a mission.”
Karolline Dutra
