SIZA

Álvaro Siza was awarded the Pritzker Prize for his life’s work in 1992 and is one of the most renowned contemporary architects. Amongst many accolades, he received the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2002 and 2012. The current exhibition at the Museum for Architectural Drawing provides an intimate view into Siza’s work, illustrated by sensitive and playful sketches that contrast with the monumentality of his buildings. Drawings by his late wife, Maria Antónia Siza, are also on display for the first time to a wider public, as well as drafts by his son, Álvaro Leite Siza, and grandson, Henrique Siza.
In a way, this exhibition was conceived as a family show, not in the sense of an architectural dynasty but rather as a lyrical collection of drawings from the architect’s private surroundings. The show questions how family inspires the work of an architect and searches for the sources of Siza’s unique stone and concrete buildings in the fragility of human existence and personal relationships. It also explores how the oeuvre of a famous architect influences the next generation, similarly to how the Bauhaus masters influenced him.

The drawings are from the Siza family’s own collection and include sketches from known and less well-known projects, as well as architectural fantasies. The exhibition is curated by António Choupina and Kristin Feireiss.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a catalogue.