81-year-old's horseshoe structure perched on an island in Jiangsu Province is also his first on water

The Building on the Water, Jiangsu Province, China - Álvaro Siza

As our great monograph, Álvaro Siza The Function of Beauty, reveals, the Portugese architect's interest in building and construction manifested itself very early on. At about 15-years-old he designed and built a shed in the garden of his parents' home, which served as workshop and study space for his brothers. Next came the remodelling of the kitchen in his grandmother's house, followed by a gateway for an uncle. Then there was a bathroom for a family friend, four semi-detached houses...well, you get the picture. So maybe it's no surprise to find him as driven as ever at the age of 81.  

Last year he designed his first ever fire station, in Santo Tirso, Portugal, and now his offices for a major chemical plant in Jiangsu Province, China, are the Pritzker Architecture Prize-winner's first building in the country. The client, Por-Shih Lin, chairman of Shihlien Chemical, briefed the firm to come up with a new office building for one of its production plants in Huai'An City. His aim was to establish a world-class architectural profile for his operations....Continue Reading

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