Bio / Interview
Álvaro Joaquim Melo Siza Vieira was born in Matosinhos (Porto) in 1933. He studied at the School of Architecture, University of Porto (1949-55).
He taught at the Porto School of Fine Arts (ESBAP) from 1966-69, where he was appointed Professor of ‘Construction’ in 1976, and later at the Porto School of Architecture. He was also a visiting professor at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University; the University of Pennsylvania; Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá; and the École Polytechnique Fédérale in Lausanne.
He began his career in 1954 during which he designed a large number of projects and works that can be found, first in Portugal, then in Europe and all over the world, as in Argentina, Belgium, Switzerland, China, Cape Verde, Germany, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Taiwan and United States of America.
His considerable achievement over 70 years has been awarded many times as soon as 1988 by international organisations, such as: American Academy of Arts and Science; “Honorary Fellow” of the Royal Institute of British Architects; AIA/American Institute of Architects; Académie d’Architecture de France; Alvar Alto Medal; European Academy of Sciences; Praemium Imperiale by the Japan Art Association; American Academy of Arts and Letters; Honorary Professor of Southeast University China and China Academy of Art; Honorary partner of the Academy of Schools of Architecture and urbanism of Portuguese language.
SIZA , a documentary by Augusto Custódio (released in June 2023).