CCA Unveils Exhibition on Álvaro Siza's Urban Design Philosophy
The Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) is currently showcasing a major exhibition titled "The fortune of the city is that it has never been perfect," which highlights the urban planning concepts of the acclaimed Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza. Scheduled from May 21, 2026, to January 10, 2027, this exhibition, curated by Giovanna Borasi with assistance from Laura Aparicio Llorente, explores Siza's unique philosophy of city-making. It emphasizes how his architectural practice extends beyond individual structures to embrace entire neighborhoods, public areas, and broader urban frameworks, treating existing contexts with deep respect for their historical, topographical, infrastructural, and daily life elements. Rather than advocating for standardized solutions, Siza's work, as presented, showcases a profound engagement with specific sites, underlining the continuity of the built environment and the intricate relationship between architecture and comprehensive urban strategies.
The exhibit draws heavily from the extensive Álvaro Siza archives housed at the CCA, featuring a rich collection of original drawings, personal sketchbooks, architectural models, and photographic collages. These materials are complemented by images from renowned photographers such as Gabriele Basilico and Nuno Cera, offering diverse visual interpretations of Siza's completed projects and their urban surroundings. Furthermore, the presentation integrates contributions from influential architects and historians like Aldo Rossi and Kenneth Frampton, whose work intersects with Siza's research or the sites he addressed. This broader intellectual context enriches the understanding of Siza's urban investigations within the larger discourse of architectural thought, underscoring the city itself as a valuable repository of knowledge for future urban development.
This illuminating exhibition champions a nuanced, project-specific approach to urban development, advocating for a thorough understanding of each location through direct observation and careful interaction with its established conditions. By doing so, it promotes the identification of appropriate scales and forms of intervention within existing urban fabrics, fostering a dialogue between past, present, and future. This perspective inspires architects and planners to consider the profound impact of their designs on communities and encourages a mindful approach to shaping our urban landscapes, prioritizing contextual sensitivity and sustainable evolution.