Architecture of Alvaro Siza Public and Private Architecture in Different Contexts
2007 6.2-2007 7.28
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Alvaro Siza Vieira

Álvaro Joaquim Melo Siza Vieira was born in Matosinhos (near Porto), in 1933. From 1949-55 he studied at the School of Architecture, University of Porto. His first built project was finished in 1954. From 1955-58 he was collaborator of Arch. Fernando Távora. He taught at the School of Architecture (ESBAP) from l966-69 and was appointed Professor of "Construction" in 1976.

As well as being invited to many international competitions and teaching at the University of Porto School of Architecture, Siza has been visiting professor at the Ecole Polythéchnique of Lausanne, University of Pennsylvania, Los Andes University of Bogotá, and Graduate School of Design of Harvard University. At present he manages Álvaro Siza arqt. S.A. Moving to an office in a building that he designed himself in 1997, he is energetically involved in about 40 projects together with his staff of over 20 Portuguese and foreigners.


Major Works
1961-66 Ocean Swimming Pool
1986-93 Setubal Teachers' Training College
1986-93 Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto
1988-93 Galician Centre for Contemporary Art
1988-95 Library of the Aveiro University
1990-2006 Church of Santa Maria and Parochial Centre
1995-98 Portuguese National Pavilion for EXPO'98
1991-99 Art Centre/Museum, Serralves Foundation
1993-2000 Faculty of the Media Sciences
2004-05 Serpentine Gallery Pavillion
(Alvaro Siza and Souto de Moura with Cecil Balmond)
2000-06 Sport Complex of Ribera Serrallo De Cornella De Llobregat
1973-77/
1999-2006
Bouca Social Housing
1998- Cultural Centre and Auditorium for the Ibere Camargo Foundation
2005- Mimesis Museum


Major Awards
The Portuguese Department of the International Association of Art Critics awarded him the Prize of Architecture of 1982. He received an Award from the Portuguese Architects Association in 1987.

In 1988 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the "Colegio de Architectos", Spain, the Gold Medal of the Alvar Aalto Foundation, the "Prince of Wales Prize" in Urban Design by Harvard University and the "European Award of Architecture" by the Economic European Comunity/Mies van der Rohe Foundation, Barcelona.

In 1992 he was awarded the Pritzker Prize by the Hyatt Foundation of Chicago for his whole work.

In 1993 the Portuguese Architects Association gave him the National Prize of Architecture.

In 1994 he received the Dr. H.P. Berlagestichting Prize and the Gubbio Prize/Associazione Nazionale Centri Storico-Artistici.

In 1995 the Nara World Architecture Exposition awarded him the Gold Medal; and the Fiera di Verona gave him the International Award Architetture di Pietra.

In 1996 he was awarded the Secil Prize of Architecture, and in 1997 the Manuel de la Dehesa Award by the Menendez Pelayo University, in Santander.

In 1998, he received the Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York; the Premio IberFAD de Arquitectura by the Foment de les Arts Decoratives, Barcelona; and the Praemium Imperiale by the Japan Art Association, Tokyo, and the Gold Medal by the Circulo de Bellas Artes of Madrid.

In 1999, he received the "Grã-Cruz da Ordem do Infante D. Henrique" given by the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic and the Leca Prize of Construction'98.

In 2000, he was awarded the Premio Internazionale di Architettura Sacra by Fondazione Frate Sole in Pavia and the Secil Prize of Architecture.

In 2001, he was awarded the Wolf Prize in Arts (Architecture) by Wolf Foundation, in Israel and Alexandre Herculano National Prize of Architecture, in Lisbon.

In 2002, he was awarded the International Compostela Prize by Xunta da Galicia, in Santiago de Compostela; the International Medal of Arts by Consejera de las Artes, in Madrid; the Venice Golden Lion by Biennale di Venezia, in Venice; the best Professional Trajectory in Architecture by the III Biennale Ibero-american in Architecture and Civil Engineering in Santiago, Chile; Personality of the Year 2002 by Foreign Press Association in Portugal; the Best International Architect Trajectory – Vitruvio 2002 by the National Belas Artes Museum in Buenos Aires, Argentine.

In 2003, he was awarded the Medal of Merit Touristic by Inland Revenue Department in Lisbon; Palladio d’Oro by Vicenza Town Hall, Italy; Special Mark of Honour by the Castilla La Mancha Oficial College of Architects in Guadalajara.

Last Updated Jan, 2007
Steven Holl Luminosity / Porosity
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