"All good architecture must lie to tell the truth": a philosophy by William J.R. Curtis inspired by the work of Álvaro Siza. From the interpretative challenges of Piscinas das Marés to the paradoxical nature of Siza's drawings, the rupture with carefully chosen historical conventions is legible. This text provides a representation of the dynamic evolution in architectural thinking. It unravels the symbiotic interplay of context, drawings, and tectonics in the broader contemporary architecture, starting from the work of Siza.
When we look at Siza's work, each project departs from the context. Subsequently, this context flows into a specific architectural promenade that negotiates places that include and exclude. It is a balanced arrangement of continuity and still moments, framed by panoramas. Space becomes a play of emotions. Siza drew inspiration from the architect Adolf Loos for this approach, particularly Loos' mastery in guiding the eyes and mental space. Loos' Villa Müller in Prague is an excellent example where the context is spatially related to the promenade on different levels.
The start of every architectural project is still difficult. There is no quality to be found in imitation so architecture can only transform the existing. It is difficult because it inherently holds the confrontation with your own extistential reality and thus implies the act of interpretation of the/ architect's context and a translation for the beholder of the project. The result is therefore determined by subjective interpretation. For example in the case of Piscinas das Marés in Matosinhos, Portugal by Álvaro Siza the interpretation renders an artificiality to grasp -or frame - the natural ocean which is always beyond reach. The design stools on a horizontal discourse between the horizon and the edge of the pool. It is a balancing act of what is nature and what is artificial by contrast pointing out the causality between these two actors. Proof of this interpretative transformation being a condition without which a project cannot be considered as qualitative can be found in the ensueing of unforseen and enriching sensorial qualities. As for the example of Piscinas das Marés one could consider the harmony between the the waves of the pool and the waves of the ocean, as well as the specific acoustical setting due to the configuration between symmetric geometry and the organic rockformation as prime proof. It is in my belief that these qualities, these enriching sensorial aspects are symptoms and in retrospect- conditions of a qualitative project.
Here the second part of the architectural system comes into play: the drawing. The whole of drawings entails the archeology of a project. The first drawings contain the raw ideas and interpretations of the architect. They are an opportunity to test different ideas and concepts. Then the drawings evolve to develop elements not immediately visible yet determining for the creation of space: the building nodes. The detail invades the space and adds a dynamic to the project. However, the drawing is not always a straightforward documentation of architecture. Siza initially interpreted the drawings of Villa Müller as chaotic. It was only after a visit that Siza established the connection between the drawing, the context, and the tectonics. It was the realization of paper architecture that affirmed its own existence. The drawing hereby captures to- at the same time mediate between the interpretation and the tectonics of the architecture.
"All good architecture has to lie to tell the truth"
~ William J.R. Curtis
Loos championed practicality and the aesthetic allure of natural elements in his designs, eschewing unnecessary embellishments and a pure approach to tectonics. Adherence to the inherent strength and qualities of materials was paramount; wood shouldn't be coerced to bend, nor should concrete be compelled to mimic tension. It has been to my understanding that Siza agreed with these notions during his dialogue with Kenneth Frampton at Serralves, Porto on 20/11/2023. Yet, Siza's built works seemingly present a paradox. While he drafts in harmony with these principles, his drawings are liberated from material constraints. Siza aspires to achieve specific effects, stemming from his subjective interpretation of the context. Often, this pursuit necessitates using materials that diverge from the building's fundamental purpose. Take, for instance, the Center of Contemporary Art in Santiago de Compostela, where concrete appears to 'float' and masquerades as steel merely to spatially signal the promenade. This paradoxal approach to his dogma of creating architecture where the construction is seemingly effortless results in a increased importance for the drawings itself within the play of artful construction. This is in my opinion where Siza differentiates himself from his inspiration of Loos. He exceeds the preset limits by Loos and evolves his practice towards a process with a more primordial role for the archeology of the project to open up hightened levels of sensorial architecture.
However it was only after attending a recent lecture by Kenneth Frampton at Casa da Arquitectura on the work of the Architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha I had a deeper understanding of these concepts of Loos and Siza's transference. Da Rocha's work formed a bridge, more specifically his project 'Casa Masetti'. Da Rocha inserts the tectonics of the openings as a determining factor to the actualization of the concepts by having very fine lightweight spring loaded windows to create this outward movement resulting in a playful dialectic between the heavy concrete structure, the lush garden en the light steel. In contrast with Siza, Da Rocha shows the tectonics to generate qualities. He uses the devil in the details to give the architecture a certain panache. Siza also holds the building detail in high regard but for him the key lies in not revealing the nodes to generate 'quiet spaces' whilst maintainting plastic energy.
Essentially, the synthesis of context, drawings, and tectonics defines a dynamic triangle of architectural excellence, resulting in a built environment that operates on a deeper sensory level. Álvaro Siza's achievements follow a dialogue inspired by, among others, Adolf Loos, but fundamentally departing from the (interpretation of the) context. It highlights a paradox in which adherence to principles coexists with liberated exploration. Siza's deviation from conventional material constraints emphasizes the crucial role of drawings in the intricate construction process and a shift away from traditional architectural norms. This argument finds its evidence and complexity in the work of contemporaries such as Mendes Da Rocha, where the importance of tectonics takes precedence over the drawing. The interplay among the trio of elements primarily underscores a dynamic evolution in contemporary architectural discourse. To be continued.
~ Kimberly Wouters, Architect.
A compilation of thought after attending the following lectures:
Thouhts in space: Long-term lessons of Álvaro Siza By William J.R. Curtis on 15th of November 2023 at the Fondation Serralves in Porto, Portugal.
Conferência de Kenneth Frampton sobre Mendes da Rocha para 6º aniversário da Casa da Arquitectura- Centro Português de Arquitectura on 18th of November 2023 at Casa da Arquitectura in Matosinhos, Portugal.
Cycle of talks Naked Architecture: an evening with Kenneth Frampton and Àlvaro Siza on 20th of November at the Fondation Serralves in Porto, Portugal.
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