Following the study "The world heritage list: filling the gaps - an action plan for the future" and the Global Strategy of the World Heritage Committee, encouraging the submission of applications for 20th century heritage, ICOMOS-Portugal presented a set of works by Álvaro Siza for the World Heritage Tentative List in 2017.

Siza is an architect of recognized relevance on the national and international scene, with nearly 500 projects and works (in 4 continents and 16 countries), more than 100 awards and distinctions, 19 honorary doctorates and hundreds of publications. Despite the international recognition of the quality of Siza's architecture, there is still no complete, consistent and systematic inventory of his built work. In fact, the existing information is generally disperse, partial or incomplete. On the other hand, the specific bibliography focuses more on compositional and formal issues of his projects, sidelining the tectonic and material dimension of the works, as well as the state of conservation of the buildings or their potential threats.

In this context, SizaATLAS proposes to develop a comprehensive inventory of all of Siza's built works, as well as to conduct a detailed analysis and documentation of the 18 buildings selected for the World Heritage Tentative List. This research, and comparison with other contemporary works, will provide a better understanding of the unique value of Siza's architecture in a national and international context. This will be fundamental in informing the justification of the Exceptional Universal Value (UEV) of his work, as well as its national protection and subsequent nomination for World Heritage.

To this end, this research proposes to develop:

1) A free-access web-based COLLABORATIVE PLATFORM, which will allow the management and sharing of information, as well as the compilation of forms and dissemination of research;

2) Georeferenced INVENTORY of all the work built by Siza in Portugal and abroad;

3) DOCUMENTATION and constructive ANALYSIS of the 18 works, supported by archival research and fieldwork, including surveys (photographic, photogrammetric and 3D visualization), recording the state of conservation, user surveys and threats affecting the assets;

4) RECOMMENDATIONS based on the information collected and its analysis, directed towards the instruction of protection at the national level and the nomination to World Heritage. In addition, proposals are developed for comparative analysis at the national and international level, contributing to the rationale for the VUE, and for the future management and monitoring of the selected works.

5) the DISSEMINATION and transfer of knowledge of Siza's work is one of the main vectors of SizaATLAS, through different actions: photogrammetry workshops for students, a conference to disseminate the results and promote debate on the World Heritage application, the organization of meetings and visits to the works on the Tentative List, participation in conferences, publication in journals, and the publication of an indexed scientific publication with the results of the project.

The innovative nature of the proposal is supported by computer tools and a collaborative platform, allowing free access to the inventory and the visualization of the 3D surveys, as well as the documentation and analysis of Siza's works on a regional, national and international scale.

The SizaATLAS research project contributes to the advancement of knowledge through the study and appreciation of Portuguese architecture in an international framework, as well as to the protection of Siza's works at the municipal, national and international levels and a deeper reflection of his contribution to 20th and 21st century architecture, responding to UNESCO's Global Strategy. The aim is to ensure the dissemination and preservation of Siza's works for future generations.

Team

Soraya de Fátima Mira Godinho Monteiro Genin (Investigador Responsável)
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa

Teresa Ferreira (Co-Investigador Responsável)
Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto

Mariana Correia
Escola Superior Gallaecia

Ana Pacheco
Escola Superior Gallaecia

Carlos Cabral Machado
Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto

Carlos Lacerda Lopes
Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto

Clara Pimenta do Vale
Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto

Gilberto Carlos
Escola Superior Gallaecia

Guido Cidomo
Universidade da Madeira

Hugo Pires
Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto

João Pedro Xavier
Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto

Joaquim Teixeira
Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto

José Nuno Beirão
Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade de Lisboa

Luís Cotrim Mateus
Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade de Lisboa

Luísa Domingues Miranda
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa

Paulo Tormenta Pinto
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa

Pedro Guilherme
UE

Pedro Neto
Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto

Pedro Pinto
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa

Pedro Sebastião
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa

Rui Florentino
Escola Superior Gallaecia

Rui Póvoas
Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto

Sara Eloy
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa

Telma Ribeiro
Escola Superior Gallaecia

Vitor Ferreira
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa

Consultants

Ana Paula Amendoeira
ICOMOS-Portugal

Benedicte Gandini
Fondation Le Corbusier

Eduardo Fernandes
Universidade do Minho

Jörg Haspel
ICOMOS-Germany

José Aguiar 
ICOMOS-Portugal

Nuno Ribeiro Lopes
Nuno Ribeiro Lopes, Arquitetos

Junior Researchers

Joana Alves
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa

Juan Piedrahita
Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto

Lorenzo Iannizzotto
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa

Mitra Arianfar
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa

Tiago Cruz
Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto

Tomás Mesquita
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa