The reunion between Álvaro Siza and Fernando Neto reveals the participatory and profoundly human dimension of the project. The film closely follows the countless tensions and decisions the proposal demanded. Despite the dilemmas, debates, and disagreements, this project was crucial in Siza's career: it marked the beginning of an unparalleled trajectory, making him one of Portugal's most awarded architects and an internationally renowned figure. What was once considered one of "the ugliest houses in Matosinhos" was a true act of courage, both for the architect and the family, and it remains innovative and admired by visitors from all over the world.
"Anyone who comes to this film unprepared, or expecting a documentary filled with disciplinary information, will be surprised by something else — something far more special. Truly, this film is a tribute to architecture, to Siza, to Matosinhos, and to the humility of those who inhabit a house, like any one of us. (...) Without imagining how happy one can be simply by living in a good home.”
Avelino Oliveira, President of the Portuguese College of Architects.
Álvaro Siza, 1952. Photograph by António Menéres.
At a time when the housing crisis dominates the public debate, “The First Siza” invites us to rethink the role of architecture in our lives. Architecture, as the backdrop to everyday life, shapes our relationships, our experiences, and the way we navigate our daily routines. Every element, from the stairs to the door, tells a story: from births and romances to games, concerts, and even death.
“I believe we should, above all, question the kind of experiences we want to provide in the houses we are building. To inhabit is not just about the number of units, but the impact these spaces will have on the lives of people, their stories, their relationships.”
Sara Nunes, Director.
Following its preview at the Serralves Museum (Porto), with Álvaro Siza in attendance, "The First Siza" was selected for festivals in Italy, Turkey, and Sweden, and won the Best Film award at Cinema Urbana (Brasilia). It was also screened at the Power Station of Art (Shanghai), the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and the CGAC (Santiago de Compostela). The film is available on the CaixaForum+ cultural platform in Portugal and Spain, and will soon be available on Filmin.
Documentary "The First Siza" by Sara Nunes. Image courtesy of Building Pictures.
Sinopsis
"The First Siza" is a documentary that returns to the beginning of one of the most remarkable journeys in contemporary Portuguese architecture, unveiling the Four Houses in Matosinhos — the first project by Álvaro Siza, designed while he was still a student. Through the reunion between the architect and Fernando Neto, his first client and owner of one of the houses, 60 years after their construction, the film offers a sensitive journey through time and memory, showing how architecture can quietly transform people's lives.
Blending archival footage with contemporary images, and featuring interviews with Siza, the residents, and Italian critic Francesco Dal Co, the documentary reveals the significance of this pioneering work — not only as a manifesto of an emerging architectural language, but as a lived-in space, continuously reinterpreted over the decades. What do these houses mean to those who inhabit them? And how did this early project anticipate so many of the themes that would later define Siza’s work?
More than a portrait of the past, "The First Siza" is a reflection on how architecture weaves itself into daily life, routines, and personal stories. A film that listens and observes, where it is the people — with their memories, gestures, and ways of living — who are the true protagonists.
