Symbolism and analogies are key elements in the architectural composition of Eduardo Souto de Moura’s work. Veiled in the case of symbolisms, or clearly embraced in the case of analogies, these act as catalysts of a mental process that searches for solutions that will strengthen and contextualize his interventions. An architecture that seeks rationality in the discipline, and that is clearly influenced by Aldo Rossi’s principles that pre-existing structures, the history of architecture, the tradition of the European city and the idea of monument are the starting point for developing the discipline, in contrast with an American vision inspired by Robert Venturi, opposite to that of Modern Architecture, which supports a hybrid route where contradiction and ambiguity break the principles of coherence advocated by the Modern Movement. The use of rules and classical orders as a starting point for the appropriation of the reference-providing “site” demonstrates the architect’s uneasiness about how his works are placed in the territory, as he is aware that these are used as transforming resources for the surrounding space and should, therefore, be seen as such. The materialization of his works is always associated with a spatial distribution that is based on composition and measure, the search for a detailed architecture, his pursuit for perfection and the continuous refinement of the elements.

Curators António Sérgio Koch and André de França Campos