Imagining the Evident

by Álvaro Siza

The referential book by Álvaro Siza on his own work, in its first English edition. Describing some of his projects, his expectations and struggles, references and decisions, this book is a fundamental contribution to the understanding of Álvaro Siza’s architectural thinking.

The text is accompanied by an extensive set of drawings from his notebooks, an obstinate presence in Siza’s particular way of working, some of which never published before.

A personal and fundamental testimony of one of the most celebrated living architects, covering the full range of design – from architecture to city planning, furniture and objects – in a must-read book for all interested in Art and Architecture.

“potent not only for understanding Siza’s practice over many decades, but for undertaking architectural design or architectural criticism and history today.”
— Barry Bergdoll

Genres: Architecture

156 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

ÁLVARO SIZA VIEIRA nasceu em Matosinhos em 25 de Junho de 1933. De 1945 a 1955 estudou na Escola de Belas Artes do Porto. De 1955 a 1958 trabalhou com o arquitecto Fernando Távora. Foi Professor Visitante em diversas universidades de todo o mundo e também na Faculdade de Arquitectura do Porto (ESBAP). O seu trabalho é internacionalmente conhecido e admirado, tendo recebido inúmeros prémios.

Reviews

[Inyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear insight in the mind of an ordinary genius.
"... the encounter between idea and thing... always of continuous novelty, in praise of attention, of the unforeseeable that lies in the search for the evident."
"I believe that the origin of a project lies in the confrontation between a facade of the city and nature."
"... that architecture does not end anywhere; it goes from the object to space and, by consequence, to the relations among spaces, until it's encounter with nature."

[Stefania Irina · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Principala mea grijă atunci când proiectez, să spunem, un scaun, este ca acesta să arate ca un scaun. Iată principala problemă. În zilele noastre, multe scaune sunt proiectate să pară altceva. Nevoia de originalitate și diferență duce aproape întotdeauna la o abandonare a esenței unui obiect dat.
[…] Piesele grandioase de mobilier, care au marcat istoria, posedă, de fapt, o mare simplitate și un fel de banalitate. Cuvântul banalitate are un sens ambiguu. Nu îl folosesc în acest caz pentru a spune neinteresant sau lipsit de calitate, ci în sensul unei disponibilități la continuitate.
[…] Revenind la designul scaunului, este importantă orice expresie a singularității care eliberează designul de elementele prea evidente, fără a trăda esența. Se definește astfel un indiciu de autenticitate care ademenește fără pretenții, în timp ce parțial devine banal. A începe cu obsesia originalității este un proces nerafinat și rudimentar.”

Álvaro Siza


“Dar poate că tocmai această opoziție este motivul succesului său: să reprezinte ceva total diferit, izolat nevrotic, tenace de afectuos, incredibil de timid, desprins de acumularea capitalului comunicativ de masă, interesat poetic de economia expresiei, de a fi minimalist, nu ca poziție formală, ci din mândrie parcimonioasă, de cerințele gesturilor necesare, de a fi «locuitor al solitudinii», așa cum se definește.”

Vittorio Gregotti despre Álvaro Siza

[kika · Rating 4 out of 5]

He explains the process behind some of his work, and in between he approaches some topics that are very relevant to architecture:

- when creating something, we will always, either consciously or not, use references, either architectural or not.

- when making housings, the intervention of the future habitants is important, and a very interesting experience, one that has been lost throughout the years.

- another very interesting experience is consulting and working with abroad architects.

- there has always been prejudice towards social housing, that it has to be “ugly” with a less worked on design and poorer quality materials, we need to turn that around.

- we need to slow down, have time to think and plan the project.

- sometimes in order to see the final result, we need to wait until people use the space, and allow them.

- when making furniture, try not to lose the essence of the object we’re making, and it’s important to ask opinions to people, regular people, for tests.

- the process of each architect is individual and personal

- as an architect, you will always face obstacles and most of all criticism.

[Fiona Reddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

buen metodo
its all about the sensitivity

[Fergie National-Anthem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Felt like a conversation with Siza himself; an explaination of philosophical processes in some of his buildings.