Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE HIGHLIGHTS
Álvaro Siza Vieira (Matosinhos, b 1933) and Eduardo Souto de Moura (Porto, b 1952) are two of Portugal's most
acclaimed contemporary architects, both honoured with the prestigious Pritzker Prize.
Here, architect Bernardo Amaral, owner of Casa do Pinheiro (
www.casadopinheiroporto.com
), guides you
through some of their most emblematic buildings, many of which are in Porto.
Álvaro Siza Vieira's Matosinhos
Start with Álvaro Siza Vieira's
Boa Nova Tea House
(1958-63; Av da Liberdade) in Leça de Palmeira, dramatic-
ally nestled in the rocks above the Atlantic, now sadly abandoned. Nearby is the
Tides Swimming Pool
(1961-66; Av da Liberdade), another Siza creation virtually invisible from the seafront boulevard, except for its
horizontal copper cladding. A ramp leads the way through parallel walls of rough concrete, defining a sensorial
promenade to the seashore. A must-stop for those with curiosity about Siza and his
oeuvre
is the family house he
renovated in the 1960s, which now hosts the
Casa da Arquitectura
(Rua Roberto Ivens 582), an association that
promotes architecture and organises exhibitions and tours.
Álvaro Siza Vieira's Porto
In
Serralves Contemporary Art Museum
(1991-99; Rua D João Castro 210), check out the fascinating dia-
logue that Siza created between the exhibition spaces and the modernist garden originally designed in the 1930s.
Next pop by the Faculty of Architecture of Porto (1986-93), a fragmented building that faces the Douro, with a
library that showcases a symmetrical skylight. Another hotspot on the Siza circuit is
Bouça Housing Cooperat-
ive
(1973-76, 2003-2006; Rua das Águas Férreas), originally conceived after the Carnation Revolution as a re-
sponse to people's request for a place to live in.
Souto de Moura's Porto
Souto de Moura's
Burgo office tower
(1991-2007; Av da Boavista 1837) is a free interpretation of Mies van der
Rohe's Seagram Building in Porto's urban landscape. Souto de Moura was also in charge of the most recent
design of Porto's subway network (1997-2005); pay attention to the light and proportions of
Trindade
(Rua das
Águas Férreas) and
Casa da Música stations
(Avenida de França), which also feature contemporary interpreta-
tions of Porto's traditional materials, such as granite stone and ceramic tiles. Souto de Moura is also behind the
marvellous design of
4Rooms
(
www.4rooms.org
)
, an intimate guesthouse in the historic heart of Foz.
Souto de Moura's Braga
For more buildings designed by Souto de Moura, take a drive up north to Braga, which features some of his best
works, including the
Municipal Stadium
and the
Carandá Cultural Market
. Nearby, in the village of Sta
Maria do Bouro, you can experience a stay in
Pousada do Gerês - Amares
, ruins from a 12th-century Cister-
cian monastery that were rehabilitated by Souto de Moura into a lodge.
Bernardo Amaral runs guided tours, as do
Cultour
(
www.cultour.com.pt
) and
Porto
Architourism
(
www.portoarchitourism.com
)
. For a self-guided tour, pick up an architecture map of Siza and
Souto de Moura's works, available at turismo offices in Porto.
