Álvaro Siza emerged serene from the creative chaos of the late 20th century as an architect whose work is largely untrammelled by fashion, fickle form-making or extravagant gestures. Now feted as one of the few living masters of modern architecture (this year he was awarded the RIBA Gold Medal), Siza is a practitioner unconcerned with the superficially heroic and iconic, preferring to create a strong sense of place through his sculptural and monumental works.
See more images of Siza's masterpieces in the latest book dedicated to his work
Rather than provide an overview of his half-century long career, The Function of Beauty keeps its focus on the present day, delving in depth into 21 recently built and still ongoing works. Given that Siza is one of the foremost proponents of a modern architecture with a strong connection to place, the featured buildings demonstrate a broad range of stylistic approaches, always pared down yet formally varied. The trademark white render dominates, of course, but there are several surprises, like the metal-clad House in Pego, the serene brick pavilions of the Insel-Hombroich Foundation in Germany and the chalky white concrete of the Ibere Camargo Foundation Museum in Brazil.
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The bespoke Jaguar E-Type GTO melds elements from every era of the classic sports carECD Automotive Design’s one-off commission caters to a client who wanted to combine the greatest hits of Jaguar’s E-Type along with modern conveniences and more power
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Casa Sanlorenzo debuts in Venice as a new hub for contemporary artThe luxury yachting leader unveils a stunning new space in a palazzo restored by Piero Lissoni – where art, innovation, and sustainability come together
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Once vacant, London's grand department stores are getting a new lease on lifeThanks to imaginative redevelopment, these historic landmarks are being rebonr as residences, offices, gyms and restaurants. Here's what's behind the trend
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The glory years of the Cannes Film Festival are captured in a new photo book‘Cannes’ by Derek Ridgers looks back on the photographer's time at the Cannes Film Festival between 1984 and 1996
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Taschen’s sexy record covers are hitting all the right notesTaschen has been through 50 years of album art for its latest tome, ‘Sexy Record Covers’
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‘Dressed to Impress’ captures the vivid world of everyday fashion in the 1950s and 1960sA new photography book from The Anonymous Project showcases its subjects when they’re dressed for best, posing for events and celebrations unknown
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Daniel Arsham’s new monograph collates the works of the auto-obsessed American artist‘Arsham Motorsport’ is two volumes of inspiration, process and work, charting artist Daniel Arsham’s oeuvre inspired by the icons and forms of the automotive industry
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Era-defining photographer David Bailey guides us through the 1980s in a new tome not short of shoulder pads and lycraFrom Yves Saint Laurent to Princess Diana, London photographer David Bailey dives into his 1980s archive in a new book by Taschen
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Inside Joan Didion’s unseen diary of personal relationships and post-therapy notesA newly discovered diary by Joan Didion is soon to be published. Titled 'Notes to John', the journal documents her relationship with her daughter, husband, alcoholism, and depression
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Carsten Höller’s new Book of Games: 336 playful pastimes for the bold and the boredArtist Carsten Höller invites readers to step out of their comfort zone with a series of subversive games
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Distracting decadence: how Silvio Berlusconi’s legacy shaped Italian TVStefano De Luigi's monograph Televisiva examines how Berlusconi’s empire reshaped Italian TV, and subsequently infiltrated the premiership
