Today, the renowned Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza turns 81. To celebrate, we've rounded-up some of Siza's most inspiring works, all courtesy of Fernando Guerra and Sergio Guerra - FG + SG.
Siza was born in Matosinhos, Portugal, in 1933. His first work was built in 1954, before Siza had even completed his studies at the School of Fine Arts at the University of Porto (now Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto - FAUP).
Siza's greatest influence is the great modernist architect: Alvar Aalto. However, his work is also representative of what Kenneth Frampton calls "critical regionalism" - a sensitivity to traditional construction techniques and the spirit of the context. As Siza puts it:
"The relationship between nature and construction is decisive in architecture. This relationship, a permanent feature of any project, is to me a kind of obsession; it was always decisive in the course of history, and yet, today tends towards gradual extinction."
Siza's architecture escapes precise definition: it is somehow both modern and traditional; sensitive to place and yet demanding of the sensitivity of its user.
Siza's early interest in sculpture is clearly reflected in his buildings; indeed, their sculptural quality was commented upon by the 1992 Pritzker jury who named Siza Laureate: "his shapes, molded by light, have a deceptive simplicity about them; they are honest.
Try as we might to describe and frame his work, words are not enough; only by visiting and experiencing his sculpted spaces can you come to an understanding of Siza's architecture.
The following is a list of the most inspiring works of Álvaro Siza, beautifully captured by the photographs by Fernando Guerra.
Text by Romullo Baratto, translated by Vanessa Quirk.
House in South Korea - 2012
Casa na Coréia do Sul - 2012
Vitrashop Factory Hall | Weil am Rhein - 2012
Hotel Vidago Palace - 2012
Pedras Salgadas Thermal Baths – 2012
Edifício de Escritórios | Novartis Campus - 2012
Amore Pacific Campus parte III - com Carlos Castanheira & Kim Jong Kyu
Amore Pacific Campus, Álvaro Siza with Carlos Castanheira & Kim Jong Kyu - Yongin-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea
Amore Pacific Campus - Álvaro Siza with Carlos Castanheira & Kim Jong Kyu | part I
Amore Pacific Campus - Álvaro Siza with Carlos Castanheira & Kim Jong Kyu | part II
Mimesis Museum | with Carlos Castanheira & Jun Sung Kim - 2011
Bilbao Bizkaia Kutxa – Bilbao, Spain - 2011
University Rectory - Alicante, Spain - 1998
Roberto Ivens House - Matosinhos, Portugal - 1961
“Insel Hombroich” Museum - Düsseldorf, Germany - 2009
“Moinho de papel” Museum - Leiria, Portugal - 2009
Santo Ovídio Chapel - Lousada, Portugal - 2002
Santo Ovídio Swimming Pool - Lousada, Portugal - 2002
Fundação Iberê Camargo - Porto Alegre, Brasil - 2008
Quinta do Portal - “Portal” Winery - Sabrosa, Portugal - 2008
House in Mallorca - Palma de Mallorca, Spain - 2008
ISQ Headquarters, Tagus Park - Oeiras, Portugal - 2008
Lérida University - Spain - 2008
Gondomar Sports Complex - Portugal - 2008
Pego House - Sintra, Portugal - 2008
Viana do Castelo Municipal Library - Viana do Castelo, Portugal - 2008
Leonel Building - Lisbon, Portugal - 2007
Leça da Palmeira Master Plan - Matosinhos, Portugal - 2007
Alvaro Siza Hall - Anyang, South Korea - 2006
Winery Mayor - Campo Maior, Portugal - 2007
Ribero-Serralo Sports Complex - Barcelona, Spain - 2006
Zaida Building, Patio House - Granada, Spain - 2006
House of "Camilio" - Ceide, Portugal - 2005
Armanda Passos House - 2005
S. Bento Porto Subway - Porto, Portugal - 2005
Parque Atlântico - Vila do Conde, Portugal - 2005
Terraços de Bragança Housing - Lisbon, Portugal - 2004
"Hanover Pavilion" - Coimbra, Portugal - 2001
Santa Maria Church de Canaveses - 1997/2006
Faculty of Media Science - Santiago Compostela, Spain - 2001
Serralves Foundation - 1999
Portuguese pavilion for Expo 98 - Lisbon, Portugal - 1998
Architectural Office - Porto, Portugal - 1998
Revigrés Building - Agueda, Portugal - 1997
Vieira de Castro House - Famalicão, Portugal -1994
Aveiro Water Tank - Aveiro, Portugal - 1990
Aveiro University Library - Aveiro, Portugal - 1994
Porto School of Architecture - Porto, Portugal - 1994
Santiago de Compostela Art Centre - Santiago de Compostela, Spain - 1993
Setúbal Teachers Training College - Setúbal, Portugal - 1993
Barcelona Meteorological Center - Barcelona, Spain - 1992
Borges & Irmão Bank - Vila do Conde, Portugal - 1986
Avelino Duarte House - Portugal - 1984
Pinto & Souto Mayor Bank - Oliveira de Azeméis, Portugal - 1974
Leça Swimming Pools - 1966
Boa Nova Tea House - 1963
