Álvaro Siza Vieira

Álvaro Joaquim de Melo Siza Vieira, GOSE, GCIH, (born 25 June 1933 in Matosinhos), who signs as Álvaro Siza Vieira (pron. IPA2|'aɫvɐɾu 'sizɐ vi'ɐiɾɐ) and is sometimes known as Álvaro Siza, is a contemporary Portuguese architect, son of Júlio Siza Vieira, an engineer, and wife Cassilda de Melo, and brother of Maria Teresa and António Carlos.

His poetic modernism draws on context to illuminate universal conditions. Along with Fernando Távora, he's one of the references of the "Escola do Porto" (Porto School of Architecture), where both were teachers. Both their works are inspired by the site and try to achieve what was missing there - there is always a very strict connection between the built and the nature, the new and the old, the sensorial and the rational.

In 1992, he was awarded the Pritzker Prize, the Wolf Prize in Arts in 2001 and the Alvar Aalto Medal in 1988. Other prizes include: The Golden Medal of The Superior Counsil of Arquitecture of the College of Architects of Madrid (1988), The Prince of Wales Prize from Harvard University (1998); Portugal's National Prize of Architecture (1993); and the Urbanism Special Grand Prize of France (2005). More recently he was announced as RIBA's 2009 Royal Gold Medallist.

He married Joana Marinho Leite and had a son, Álvaro Leite Siza Vieira.

Works

* 1958-1963: Boa Nova restaurant in Matosinhos ( [http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/boanova/index.htm Photos] ).
* 1958-1965: Quinta de Conceição swimming-pool ( [http://www.danda.be/gallery/128/ Photos] ).
* 1966: Leça da Palmeira swimming-pool ( [http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/leca/index.htm Photos] ).
* 1981-1985: Avelino Duarte House Ovar.
* 1987-1993: Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto ( [http://www.cidadevirtual.pt/blau/facarch.html#photos_etc Photos] ; [http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/faup/index.htm Photos 2] ).
* 1988 - Rebuilding plans of the Chiado neighbourhood after a fire, Lisbon.
* 1995: Library of the University of Aveiro.
* 1997: [http://www.serralves.pt/ Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art] ( [http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/serralves/index.htm Photos] ).
* 1998: Architectural Practice, Porto ( [http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/sizaoffice/index.htm Photos] ).
* 2002: Southern Municipal District Center, Rosario, Argentina (first work by Siza in South America) [http://www.rosario.gov.ar/sitio/servicios/cmdsur.jsp] [http://www.rosarioturismo.com/patrimonio/nota_ampliada.asp?idarticulo=34]
* 2005: Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2005 ( [http://www.beholdingeye.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/search.pl?p:pm_udav=0&p:pm=1&Terms=serpentine+pavillion+siza&Realm=Beholding+Eye Photos] ).
* 2008: Iberê Camargo Foundation, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

External links

* [http://www.ohmdesign.com/ Álvaro Siza Furniture]
* [http://www.pritzkerprize.com/siza.htm Pritzker Prize page on Siza]
* [http://www.arcspace.com/studio/siza/sculptures/index.htm Álvaro Siza sculptures]
* [http://www.danda.be/gallery/architect/alvaro-siza/ Photo Galleries: Álvaro Siza Projects]