The project “Álvaro Siza Viagem sem Programa” has won the mention by the Permanent Design Observatory ADI, for the section Exhibition Design, ADI Design Index 2018, which collects annually the best design projects and is the first step towards the Compasso d'Oro. It has been an evocative exhibition dedicated to the most intimate and less known side of the Portuguese master.
The exhibition has been presented for the first time at the Venice Architecture Biennale; in 2017, it arrived in the spaces of FAB Fiandre Architectural Gallery Bureau of Reggio Emilia, with its 53 drawings, a video-documentary and a series of photographic memories. It is the result of the several meetings of the two curators Greta Ruffino and Raul Betti with Siza at his studio.
The center of the exhibition has been a space with an industrial style, revisited for the occasion; here, three lines of specially designed lecterns hosted the works together with a selection of evocative images. All elements have been made with natural materials, wood and metals, eco-sustainable paints and ceramic slabs with large formats (thickness 6 mm) and Calacatta finish, emphasizing the material contrast and lightness.
As the curator Raul Betti explained, “The exhibition areas, defined by precise volumes interacting and sometimes contrasting with the existing ones create a balance that leads the visitor attention towards the artistic works of the architect Siza. The light favor this aim, creating a dialogue designed to bring out the details of its very personal graphic mark”.
