You must be crazy not to love Alvaro Siza
“You must be crazy not to love Alvaro Siza,” said my lecturer in a monotonous voice and expression, “His designs are really good and a strong respect for every site.”
The Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza is one of the world’s most respected architects. The recipient of many awards, including the US Pritzker Prize for Architecture in 1992, Siza has built and taught in Portugal and internationally since the late 1950s.
Just like every good students, I went to the library and borrow some books on Alvaro Siza, and it was love at first sight.
Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto, Portugal.
Based on a preliminary program established by the Rectory of the University of Porto, the faculty is set on a terraced site high above the Douro River, the faculty covers a total area of 87,000 square meters with four free standing pavilions each connected by a 3 meters narrow corridor. According to Alvaro Siza, the connecting path give an impression of a generous space.
I’m not quite sure about the long narrow corridor, I hate long narrow corridors, its creepy and spooky. What Alvaro Siza did was to punch pocket of holes, to allow light to illuminate the corridors and certain spaces, the creativity in playing with natural sunlight really enhance the overall architecture, but isn’t it better if the walls are transparent? Punching pockets of holes in a hall is acceptable, punching holes to draw natural sunlight for a courtyard within a building is acceptable but punching holes for the sake of drawing natural sunlight doesn’t make any sense to me.
Personally it would be better if the walls are transparent, it allows natural light to illuminate the corridors and increase the visual space, thus eliminate the perception that all corridors are creepy and spooky. There is not much description on the opaque walls in the corridors, he must have a good reason for it.
I think the Galician Center for Contemporary Art in Spain is his best project ever, situated in the city with lots of classical buildings, it clad in granite and like many local buildings, it seeks to respond in a modern yet appropriate way to its surrounding in harmony.
Image Source : IHT
Both the exterior and interior volume emphasize on the purity of line, the interior on the other hand are rendered with both natural and artificial lighting. A trademark of Alvaro Siza at its best.
Unlike Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid or Richard Meier, Alvaro Siza’s design respond to the site and its surrounding, whereas Gehry, Hadid and Meier tends to impose their signature design upon the site, I would not say their design is an eye sore, just that they approach the site in a different way. There is no right or wrong, if the common people love it and asked for more, then they must be really good. Respect.
You must be crazy not to love Alvaro Siza!
Tags: Alvaro Siza, Faculty of Architecture, Galician Center for Contemporary Art, Portugal, Portuguese architect, Spain, University of PortoRelated Articles
Similar posts you may be interested in based on past browsing
Zaragoza World Expo digital water walls
Looks like Zaragoza, Spain’s 2008 World Expo won’t be lacking of any creative ideas, according to the official announcement, there would be a displays of technology with an MIT-designed “digital water pavilion” greeting visitors at the entrance.
The pavilion looks to be impressive enough, boasting computer-controlled walls of water that can display scrolling text or images, or automatically form a doorway when it detects a person approaching.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology architects who developed the idea say it’s a boundary-pushing artistic statement, in the tradition of the Crystal Palace and White City of long-ago world’s fairs. Current estimated cost is about $3 million.
The expo is not due until next year, hopefully they build that pavilion as proposed. Would be something really unique.
read more at physorg
Tags: Digital Wall, Digital Water Pavillion, Digital Waterfall, MIT, Spain, Zaragoza, Zaragoza World Expo
Related Articles
Similar posts you may be interested in based on past browsing
