Alvaro Siza Vieira
"May the new generations fight to maintain the meaning of the architect"
He made drawing the guiding principle of his life, which led him to a career of national and international notoriety. From the award Pritzker to the Golden Lion , from social housing to museums and art centers, Álvaro Siza Vieira's work continues to be a reference for new generations of architects. At 91 years old, his daily life continues to be marked by his craft, which he says is essential to not getting even older. It is in his office that he scribbles down the inspiration he absorbs from the city's hustle and bustle, continuing to design a unique legacy every day.
Tell us a little about your day-to-day life… Is it here, in your office, that you spend most of your time?
Yes, because I can't travel, I have back problems. Otherwise, I would travel, especially since I have most of my work in China and South Korea. But now it's home-office-home.
Even though you're not traveling at the moment, where do you find inspiration?
Inspiration is in the air, it is in the cities... Inspiration does not come from within, it comes from outside. It enters through the eyes and goes to the head, and therefore there is no shortage of stimuli, references for ideas to come and innovation to happen. And there is no shortage of history, so rich in Portugal. And then there is the movement of cities, multiplied, because today everything is connected.
And coming here, continuing to work and doing what you love, helps you stay young? Does an artist never grow old?
No, it had to be... If I didn't work, like any mortal, the only work I would do would be to age mentally and physically, which is what we do after a certain age. But working involves thinking, taking on responsibilities, which is essential, if only to avoid getting even older.
Having lived through so many different eras, including in terms of architecture, how do you think about architecture today, given such specific challenges? For example, the issue of sustainability and even a new spatial concept for the home… How do we think about architecture today?
The notion of sustainability, in other words, has always existed. A home has been a shelter, a place for families to rest and grow for centuries. Now there are new demands, basically for a better way of life, but on the other hand, there are also greater disadvantages. The increase in this idea of sustainability in all debates is also closely linked to unsustainability. There are also more demanding problems, because there are more perverse oversights, let's call them that.
Do you think there is a widespread idea that architects only work for the richest?
This is one of the incredible distortions that are part of the campaign against architects, which in principle also means against architecture. Architects have assumed that they work for the masses. In the 1920s and 1930s, the most notable works of architecture by the most celebrated architects were related to social housing. This is the legacy of those years. The idea that architects only work for the rich is an invention, a regrettable distortion, which only has to do with other interests, but let's not go there.
You have worked all over the world… Is there any city or country that particularly fascinates you in terms of architecture?
To a certain extent, every country has something particularly interesting. I like all cities and all countries, some for one reason, others for another. Then, of course, there are the heights of beauty, which is not universal, although the personality of the people is always present. If we consider Paris, Venice, Naples, New York, there is a particular intensity, a particular authenticity... It may include a lot of fake things, but what remains is authenticity. When, in New York, skyscrapers grow like plants, this is not a whim of the architects, it is an economic and social concession. Now, when you put up, as was done here at the foot of the bridge [Arrábida], a tower that is taller than the bridge or a national monument, the result is bad. That is not to say that it is ugly, it is inadequate, it is fake, it has no authenticity.
In Portugal, we have more and more foreigners with a lot of money investing here. Do you think Portugal has luxury potential?
There are luxuries, but there are also inequalities, and they are very obvious. Portugal is quite peaceful. But everything that exists in other countries exists here too. There may also be some interesting things due to a certain underdevelopment in relation to other countries. But I think that many people come because they want more peace and quiet, and they are starting to stop coming because of the cost of living. That is the main reason I see. The climate, the natural and built beauty, the presence of history in the landscape and perhaps also the great differences in the territory of such a small country.
You also work a lot with the Eastern market. What are the challenges of working in these countries?
I almost only work for the Eastern market; I have very little work in Portugal. My experience is in China and South Korea. Excellent working conditions. And the number one reason is that clients want quality, that they treat architects very well, that they don't say that they are capricious gentlemen and that they provide good working conditions. There you feel a desire to do quality work. Here, that is a rare thing.
Do you consider yourself a Porto man? Do you value your roots?
I like living in Porto, besides having friends, etc., I also like the climate. Porto is also a city with a beautiful physical environment. It’s the river… Porto exists because of the river. It has excellent geographical and climatic conditions, and as such, it is also one of the reasons why it has historically had very good architecture. I’m happy here… Now, I regret not being able to travel. It would be great to go out, see other things… You can’t have everything.
Do you feel duly recognized in Portugal or is there a lack of recognition?
Sometimes it even causes a certain discomfort… I have a lot of interviews, for example (laughs) … For some people there is recognition, for others there is not… As always. However, what we have, and this is the general aspect, is that the relationship with architects as professionals is really very difficult. I am not complaining personally, nor do I see anything personal in this. If you talk to other architects, you will see that this is not a whining whine, but that the conditions are really terrible and that most of the impositions come from the European Community, and therefore they are repeated in all countries, except Switzerland, which is the only country where one can work peacefully in architecture. Here, for example, copyright has ended. An architect no longer has the copyright he used to have. This is tremendous. This weakness in the demand for quality really is happening, it is obvious and is beginning to be evident in the landscape.
«I'm sorry I can't travel. It would be great to go out, see other things…»
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