Álvaro Siza Vieira

Siza, whose full name is Alvaro Joaquim de Meio Siza Vieira, was born on June 25, 1933 in the small coastal town of Matosinhos, just north of Porto, Portugal. Siza studied at the University of Porto School of Architecture from 1949 through 1955, completing his first built works (four houses in Matosinhos) even before ending his studies in 1954. That same year he opened his private practice in Porto.

In 1966, Siza began teaching at the University, and in 1976, he was made a tenured Professor of Architecture. In addition to his teaching there, he has been a visiting professor at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University; the University of Pennsylvania; Los Andes University of Bogota; and the Ecole Polytechnique of Lausanne.

"Every design," says Siza, "is a rigorous attempt to capture a concrete moment of a transitory image in all its nuances. The extent to which this transitory quality is captured, is reflected in the designs: the more precise they are, the more vulnerable."

Carlos Castanheira

Graduated in Architecture by the School of Fine Arts of Oporto (1976-1981). Lived in Amsterdam, from 1981 to 1990, where he worked as an Architect and studied at the Academie Voor Bouwkunst Van Amsterdam. In 1993 he founded the practice Carlos Castanheira & Clara Bastai, Arquitectos Lda. with the Architect Maria Clara Bastai.

Working, mainly, in the private sector, he has acted as juror on competition panels, participated in conferences, has been involved in setting up Architectural education courses and workshops, has curated and organized exhibitions, and has edited and published books and catalogues.

Since he was a student he has been collaborating with the Architect Álvaro Siza in various projects in Portugal but, mostly,abroad.