BIENNALE ARCHITETTURA 2016 - NATIONAL PARTICIPATION OF PORTUGAL

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo

At the corner of NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

NEIGHBOURHOOD: Where Alvaro meets Aldo | Making of

The Portuguese Pavilion at Campo di Marte, Giudecca

Portugal Pavilion in progress, Campo di Marte, Giudecca, Raul Betti, 2016, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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For the 15th International Architecture Exhibition’s challenging theme Portugal presents a “site-specific” pavilion, occupying an urban front in regeneration on the island of Giudecca: Campo di Marte.

Portugal Pavilion, construction site at Campo di Marte, Giudecca, Raul Betti, 2016, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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In actual fact, the installation of the pavilion on-site triggered the completion of Campo di Marte’s urban project designed by the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza, thirty years ago.

Portugal Pavilion, work in progress, Campo di Marte, Giudecca, Raul Betti, 2016, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Portugal Pavilion, a view from the streets of Campo di Marte, Giudecca, Raul Betti, 2016, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Walking around Campo di Marte, Giudecca, Venice, Jordi Burch, 2016, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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In 2016, a few months before the opening of the Venice Biennale, Álvaro Siza returned to all the four neighbourhoods presented in this exhibition.

Álvaro Siza | Venice, Italy, Jordi Burch, 2016, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Campo di Marte, Giudecca, Venice, Nicolò Galeazzi, 2016, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Along NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

Siza's visits and the neighbours are now depicted in photos and videos, presented on the outside and inside of the Portuguese Pavilion respectively.

Life in NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

These are real everyday life documents, only possible due to the residents’ goodwill, to whom the project team thanks the involvement.

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo | Vicinato | Campo di Marte, Giudecca (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo | The beginning (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

NEIGHBOURHOOD: Where Alvaro meets Aldo | The Exhibition

The pavilion exhibits four notable works by Siza, in the field of Social Housing - Campo di Marte (Venice); Schilderswijk (The Hague); Schlesisches Tor (Berlin); and Bairro da Bouça (Porto) - exposing his participatory experience as a peculiar understanding of the European city and citizenship.

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo | CCA Archives (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

Architectural documents were granted by the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), one of the main institutional partners, that holds part of the Alvaro Siza Archives.

Álvaro Siza, Oriol Bohigas, Aldo Rossi, Fernando Montes (Bogotá, Colombia), Álvaro Siza Fonds / Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal, Fernando Medina, 1982, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Álvaro and Aldo were companions in several events: Portugal (1974); Santiago de Compostela (1975); Venice Lido (1976); Bogotá (1982); and in the implementation of the Campo di Marte plan (1985-1997).

"La Città Analoga" | Aldo Rossi, Eraldo Consolascio, Bruno Reichlin and Fabio Reinhart, Archivio La Biennale di Venezia, 1976, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Aldo Rossi, Eraldo Consolascio, Bruno Reichlin and Fabio Reinhart exhibited in Caxinas and Porto, for the first time, the remarkable collage La Città Analoga (The Analogous City).

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo | Venice, Campo di Marte (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

NEIGHBOURHOOD: Where Alvaro meets Aldo | The Exhibition

Campo di Marte, Giudecca, Venice

Plan for the Campo di Marte neighbourhood I, Site Axonometric (Competition), Álvaro Siza Fonds / Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal, 1985, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Siza designed a urban fabric based on the elongated structure of the old cadastral division, layout from the Giudecca Canal to the Lagoon and resuming some architectural archetypes of the island.

Plan for the Campo di Marte neighbourhood II, Site Axonometric (Competition), Álvaro Siza Fonds / Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal, 1985, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Siza learned to identify the typological invariants of the popular housing fabric of inner Giudecca and from which emerged the churches and palaces at the borders of the canal and the lagoon.

Vicinato | The buildings at Campo di Marte alla Giudecca, Venice, Italy, Alberto Lagomaggiore, 2008, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Siza opted, in his general plan, for a cohesive urban composition, height uniformity and windows arranged in a constant rhythm along the extensive facades.

Vicinato | Campo di Marte alla Giudecca, Venice, Italy, Alberto Lagomaggiore, 2008, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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This "meta-project" was later interpreted by Aldo Rossi, Carlo Aymonino and Rafael Moneo, invited to design different buildings adjacent to the quarter assigned to Álvaro Siza, in Campo di Marte.

Vicinato | Campo di Marte alla Giudecca, Venice, Italy, Alberto Lagomaggiore, 2008, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Between 1986 and 2006 only the two Italian architects were able to complete their works. Nowadays, Siza’s project is partially completed and that of Rafael Moneo is at an early stage of study.

“Campo di Marte alla Giudecca”, Venice, Italy, Álvaro Siza Fonds / Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal, 1983, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Vicinato | Meeting the inhabitants at Campo di Marte, Giudecca, Venice (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

In February 2016, visiting different local residents of Campo di Marte, Siza talked, smoked and toasted with them during a lively afternoon of conviviality.

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo | Berlin, Schlesisches Tor (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

NEIGHBOURHOOD: Where Alvaro meets Aldo | The Exhibition

Schlesisches Tor, Berlin, Germany

Nachbarschaft | “Bonjour Tristesse” 30 years ago, Schlesisches Tor, Berlin, Germany, Giovanni Chiaramonte, 1983, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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After visiting Berlin in the late 70s, Siza took part in a competition, responding to the challenge of regenerating a complete quarter in Schlesisches Tor, at the Kreuzberg district.

Nachbarschaft | A new “Bonjour Tristesse”, Schlesisches Tor, Berlin, Germany (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

In Schlesisches Strasse, Alvaro Siza designed a residential building of seven floors, and learning from the surrounding architectural diversity he transformed the corner into a “monumental” point.

Nachbarschaft | Back to “Bonjour Tristesse”, Schlesisches Tor, Berlin, Germany (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

The major social and urban changes which took place in the neighbourhoods are shared by many other European cities: processes like immigration, ghettoization, gentrification and touristification.

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo | Berlin, Schlesisches Tor (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo | The Hague, Schilderswijk (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

NEIGHBOURHOOD: Where Alvaro meets Aldo | The Exhibition

Schilderwijk, The Hague, The Netherlands

Buurt | Preparing a meal at Schilderswijk, The Hague, The Netherlands, Álvaro Siza Fonds / Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal, 1989, From the collection of: Portugal - Biennale Architettura 2016
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Buurt | Back at Schilderswijk, The Hague, The Netherlands (1998) by Alessandra ChemolloPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

After visiting the neighbourhood and listening to the inhabitants, Siza designed the first construction phase in the district’s south area: the Punt Komma blocks, carried out between 1986 and 1989.

Buurt | Back to Schilderswijk, The Hague, The Netherlands (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

In March 2016 Álvaro Siza returned to Schilderswijk, visiting families who have settled there for the past 25 years, talking and drinking the inevitable Rize tea served by affable Turkish women.

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo | The Hague, Schilderswijk (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo | Porto, Bouça (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

NEIGHBOURHOOD: Where Alvaro meets Aldo | The Exhibition

Bouça, Porto, Portugal

Vizinhança | A "new" Bairro da Bouça, Porto, Portugal (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

In 1975, two elongated buildings were built at Bairro da Bouça, with four floors (2 duplex apartments), with direct entrances from the street or from a high gallery.

Vizinhança | A view of Bairro da Bouça, Porto, Portugal (2016) by Jordi BurchPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

For twenty years the neighbourhood was progressively degrading, until the residents’ association, with another housing cooperative, proposed the municipality to complete the project by Álvaro Siza.

Vizinhança | Revisiting Bairro da Bouça, Porto, Portugal (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

In 2016, a decade after the quarter conclusion, Siza visited the area and got inside of the residents’ houses, realizing how they lived in them. There he met again some of the first inhabitants.

Vizinhança | Inside Bairro da Bouça, Porto, Portugal (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

Álvaro Siza also knew the outcome of the gentrification process, meeting young architects, designers and artists who became the owners of the houses placed on the market by the housing cooperative.

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo | Porto, Bouça (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

Opening event: A crowded NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

NEIGHBOURHOOD: Where Alvaro meets Aldo | The Opening Event

The opening event of the Portuguese Representation at La Biennale di Venezia 2016 took place on May 25th, at Campo di Marte, Giudecca.

At the pier for the opening event NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

Álvaro Siza arrived at Giudecca by vaporetto, here accompanied by Roberto Cremascoli.

Arriving at Giudecca for the opening event: NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

The arrival of the Portuguese architect was one of the high moments of the opening, together with the Prime Minister of Portugal (on the left).

Opening event: Meeting the guests at NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

Álvaro Siza introduced the guests and guided them through the exhibition.

Opening event: Guided tour through NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

Opening event: Telling the story of NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

Opening event: La Tavolata at NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

La Tavolata gathered the residents of Campo di Marte, as well as Italian and Portuguese artistic and political public figures, journalists and many more, celebrating neighbourhood.

NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

The graffitis on the walls of the construction site show how the population was longing for the completion of the building.

Visiting NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

Media contents at NEIGHBOURHOOD - Where Alvaro meets Aldo (2016) by Nicolò GaleazziPortugal - Biennale Architettura 2016

These visual documents were produced by a qualified multidisciplinary team, with the support of the Media partners SIC/Expresso (Portugal).

Credits: Story

NEIGHBOURHOOD: Where Alvaro meets Aldo
Official Portuguese Representation
at the 15th Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia 2016

Commissioner: Directorate-General for the Arts | Portuguese Republic
Curators: Nuno Grande and Roberto Cremascoli

May 28 - November 27 | Campo di Marte, Giudecca, Venice

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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