Siza, Alvaro Joaquim de Melo

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Siza, Alvaro Joaquim de Melo ( Vieira, Alvaro Joaquim de Melo) (1933– ). Portuguese architect. He commenced practice in 1958, and designed the Boa Nova Seaside Restaurant (1958–63) and the Piscina de Leca (1961–6), Matosinhos (1958–65). Responding to the topography, he designed several well-publicized houses, including the Alcino Cardoso House, Moledo do Minho (1964–8), and the Beires House, Póvoa dó Varzim (1973–6). His Banks (e.g. the Banco Borges e Irmao, Succursal de Vila do Conde (1978–86)), display aspects of International Modernism and Italian Rationalism. His housing complexes in Oporto, including the São Victor scheme (1974–7), have been admired for their simplicity. More recently, his graniteclad Galician Centre for Contemporary Art, Santiago de Compostela, Spain (1988–95), set on a triangular site in the Convent of Santa Domingo de Boneval, and the Chapel, Santa Ovidro, Douro (2001–2), attracted critical acclaim.

Bibliography

Angelillo (ed.) (1997);
Cuito (ed.) (2002);
Dubois (1998);
Kalman (1994);
Fleck (ed.) (1992, 1995);
Frampton (2000);
Jodidio (1996a, 1999);
Lampugnani (ed.) (1988);
Llana & Castanheira (eds.) (1996);
Santos (1993);
Siza (2000);
Testa (1996);
Trigueiros (ed.) (1997)

A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture