Author of numerous projects – including cultural facilities, leisure centres, public buildings, commercial spaces, offices, and housing complexes – Álvaro Siza Vieira’s major works include (among many others): Boa Nova Tea House (Leça da Palmeira, 1958-1963); Ocean Swimming Pool (Leça da Palmeira, 1961-1966); Bouça Housing Complex II (1975-1977); Quinta da Malagueira (Évora, 1977-1995); Banco Borges e Irmão (Vila do Conde, 1978-1986); David Vieira de Castro House (1984-1994); Schilderswijk Zone 5 Urban Renewal Plan (The Hague, 1985-1989); Escola Superior de Educação de Setúbal (1986-1993); Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto (1987-1993); University of Aveiro Library (1988-1995); Galician Centre of Contemporary Art (Santiago de Compostela, 1988-1993); Ferreira de Castro Office Building (Oliveira de Azeméis, 1989-1995); Meteorological Centre, Olympic Village (Barcelona, 1990-1992); Santa Maria Church and Parish Centre (Marco de Canaveses, 1990-1996); Vitra International Furniture Factory (Weil am Rhein, 1991-1994); Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art (1991-1999); Baixa-Chiado Metro Station (Lisbon, 1992-1998); Chiado Reconstruction Project (1992-2004); Faculty of Information Sciences (Santiago de Compostela, 1993-2000); Portugal Pavilion at Expo 98 (Lisbon, 1995-1998; awarded the Valmor Prize); University of Alicante Rectorate (1995-1998); Residential blocks 6-7-8, Céramique Terrein (Maastricht, 1995-2001); Museum Insel Hombroich (Neuss, 1995-2008); Zaida Building (Granada, 1998-2006); Iberê Camargo Foundation (Porto Alegre, 1998-2008); Ribera-Serrallo Sports Complex (Cornellà de Llobregat, 2000-2006); Portugal Pavilion at Expo 2000 (Hanover, 2000; in collaboration with Eduardo Souto de Moura); Donnaregina Museum Reconstruction (Naples, 2003-2006); Mayor Winery (Herdade das Argamassas, Portugal, 2003-2006); Anyang Pavilion (South Korea, 2006-2010; in collaboration with Carlos Castanheira); Laboratory and office building, Novartis Campus (Switzerland, 2006-2011); Viana do Castelo Library (2008); Nadir Afonso Foundation Museum (Chaves, 2015).

It is also worth mentioning his participation in the following international competitions, in which he won first prize: Residential complex Bonjour Tristesse (Schlesisches Tor, Kreuzberg, Berlin, 1980-1984); Reconstruction of Campo di Marte (Venice, 1985); Reconstruction and extension of the Winkler Casino and Café (Salzburg, 1986); Cultural Centre of La Defensa (Madrid, 1988-1989; in collaboration with José Paulo Santos); J. Paul Getty Museum (Malibu, California, 1993; in collaboration with Peter  Testa); Pietà Rondanini Room, Sforzesco Castle (Milan, 1999); Reform plan for the Prado-Recoletos axis (Madrid, 2002; in collaboration with Juan Miguel Hernández León and Carlos Riaño); Toledo Hospital (2003); Atrium of the Alhambra (Spain, 2010; in collaboration with Juan Domingo Santos); Parco delle Cave (Lecce, 2010; in collaboration with Carlos Castanheira).

His work has been exhibited, individually and collectively, in various institutions and at various events. Among his solo exhibitions, the retrospectives at the Centre Georges Pompidou (Paris, 1982), the Galician Centre for Contemporary Art (Santiago de Compostela, 1995) and the Belém Cultural Centre (1996) are particularly noteworthy. His participation in group exhibitions includes Venice Biennale (1978); Paris Biennale (1985); São Paulo Biennale (1993 and 2004); Venice International Architecture Exhibition (2002, 2004 and 2017); Milan Triennale (2004).

At the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, he participated in the exhibition and conference cycle Inside a creative mind. Portuguese architecture | Creativity and innovation (curated by Eduarda Lobato de Faria, 2016) and in The Universalists – 50 years of Portuguese architecture (Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, Paris, 2016). In 2024, the Main Gallery and Temporary Exhibition Gallery of the Museum hosted the exhibition Siza (curated by Carlos Quintáns), dedicated to the architect’s work, which brought together original material from his archives, as well as works of reference for his work.

Born in Matosinhos, he taught at the Lisbon School of Fine Arts (1966-1969 and 1976-?) and at the Faculty of Architecture of Porto (until 2003); He was a visiting professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, the University of Pennsylvania, the Escuela de Los Andes (Bogotá) and Kenzo Tange Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Design – Harvard University. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Science, a member and honorary partner of the Portuguese Architects’ Association, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, the American Institute of Architects, the Académie d’Architecture de France and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.

He has been honoured with numerous awards, such as: Architecture Award from the Portuguese Association of Art Critics (1982) and the Association of Portuguese Architects (1987); Mies van der Rohe Architecture Award (1988); Gold Medal for Architecture (Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España, 1988); Pritzker Prize (Hyatt Foundation, 1992); National Architecture Award (Portuguese Association of Architects, 1993); Secil Architecture Prize (1996, 2000 and 2006); Alvar Aalto Medal (1998); Praemium Imperiale (Japan Art Association, Tokyo, 1998); Premio Internazionale de Architectura Sacra (Fondazione Frate Sole, 2000); Wolf Prize in Arts (2001); Golden Lion for the Best Project – Venice Architecture Biennale (2002); Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects (2009); Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement – Venice Architecture Biennale (2012); Archdaily International Award “Building of the Year 2015”.

He was awarded the rank of Grand Officer of the Military Order of Sant’Iago da Espada (Portugal, 1992), the Grand Cross of the Order of Infante D. Henrique (Portugal, 1999) and the Order of Merit (Brazil, 2007). He was awarded honorary doctorates by several universities, including Polytechnic University of Valencia (1992); Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (1993); University of Palermo (1995); Menendez Pelayo University (Santander, 1995); National University of Engineering of Lima (1995); University of Coimbra (1997); Lusíada University (1999); Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa (2000); Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II – Polo delle Scienze e delle Tecnologie (Naples, 2004).