Alvaro Joaquim Melo Siza Vieira was born in Matosinhos, Portugal, in 1933. From 1949-55 he studied at the School of Architecture, University of Porto. His first built project was finished in 1954.
From 1955-58 he was collaborator of the architect Fernando Távora. He taught at the School of Architecture, Porto (ESBAP) from 1966-69 and rejoined in 1976 as Assistant Professor of Construction. He has been Visiting Professor at the Ecole Polytéchnique of Lausanne, the University of Pennsylvania, Los Andes University of Bogotá and the Graduate School of Design of Harvard University as 'Kenzo Tange Visiting Professor'. He also taught at the Faculty of Architecture of Porto, where he held his last class in October 2003. El Croquis 215-216 shows Álvaro Siza 2015-2022 works.