Álvaro Siza Vieira – or just Álvaro Siza, as he likes to be called – was born and raised in Matosinhos, Porto, 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. Siza is not only an architect. In 1966, he began teaching at his former University. He has also been a guest lecturer at many universities and conferences throughout the world, passing through the United States, Colombia and Argentina all the way to Spain, Germany, France, Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria and England. In recent years, he has received honours from European foundations and institutions, including, the Alvar Aalto Foundation Gold Medal in 1988, the renowned Mies van der Rohe Foundation Award for the Borges & Irmão Bank in Vila do Conde, Portugal (1982-86). Siza was the first Portuguese architect to receive the Priztker Award in 1992 and in 2012 was awarded with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement of the 13th International Architecture Exhibition. Siza works are spread all over the world. You can find them in Brazil, France, the Netherlands, China, Spain, South Korea, Germany, Italy and, of course, Portugal. Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art (in Porto), Bouça Social Housing (in Porto), São Bento Subway Station (in Porto) Portugal Pavilion Expo 98 (in Lisbon), Nadir Afonso Museum (in Chaves) and Malagueira Social Housing (in Évora) are some of his projects that you can visit in Portugal.