Leone d'oro ad Alvaro Siza

In response to the proposal of David Chipperfield, director of the 13th International Architecture Exhibition of Venice - Common Ground, the Board of Directors of the Biennale, chaired by Paolo Baratta, decided to award the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement to Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza Vieira.

The verses of poet Fernando Pessoa from "The Book of Disquiet", accompany and sum up the motivation for the award:
“I am equal in size to whatever I see,
not hemmed in by the size I am.”
(Fernando Pessoa)

Beyond the undeniable merits of Alvaro Siza?s work, the motivation underlines his role as a master of contemporary architecture; his consistency in the profession and the fact that he developed an architectural idiom capable of interacting with observers of all kinds, without ever lapsing into professionalism for its own sake or self-promotion.
"[...] these works are not the product of a conventional talent but of a mind sophisticatedly exercised by the confidence of knowledge and the wisdom of doubt".

The prestigious award will be presented to the architect in the Gardens of the Biennale on August 29 during the awards ceremony and opening of the exhibition.

(Agnese Bifulco)

Images: courtesy FG+SG – fotografia de arquitectura, courtesy Álvaro Siza office.

www.labiennale.org