Álvaro Siza. Conjunto de viviendas: Quinta da Malagueira. 1977-1997

Abstract

Álvaro Siza (1933), has become one of the most important architects in Portuguese and International Architecture; and throughout his career, his work has been recognized with some of the most prestigious awards. Siza spent the early part of his career studying more deeply the works of Frank Lloyd Wright, Adolf Loos, Le Corbusier, and Alvar Aalto, in order to master the construction techniques and consolidate a critical approach to modernity. After presenting an overview of those who have been part of the development of Siza's architecture, the aim of this study focuses on the analysis of his built houses, by identifying the formal values of the building and recognizing local techniques of application to the local context that are of great value for universal architecture, finding important visual and constructive relationships in the houses, through the constructive elements of a rigorous system which give an original character to his work. Through re-construction, formal values are identified under deductive parameters, which start from the analysis of the urban location, program and construction system. The interest in investigating the career of such an important architect, contributes to the development of critical thinking and, at the same time, opens new avenues for research and the possibility of relating to the immediate context