Some Siza

Naturally while driving around Portugal we visited a bunch of Alvaro Siza buildings

first off was the 1956 Boa Nova tea house

otherwise know as Casa de Chá

dark wood and leather interiors

lookout to fabulous rocks and atlantic waves

instead of tea, great cocktails

slashed view

a bit further down the coast, also in Leça da Palmeira area of Matosinhos

We visited the iconic, legendary 1966 Swimming pools, a project I have been looking at in books for ever.

The entrance is typical spooky Siza, with ultra low ceiling (I mean almost-you-dont-pass low)

long corridors and weird hangers of the dressing rooms area

walls to turn corners around
peeking out to the pools

   

formed by connecting rocks with concrete walls

just the best hangout for seagulls wanting to cross over to New York

Then, more realistically, the great Serralves foundation, with another spookily aggressive low entrance

and fantastic play of light between volumes

The Museum at Santiago de Compostela was closed, 

though we got to see the funny steel supported stone wall.