Open Sculpture by Siza Vieira

In 2024, we were invited by the Lionesa Group to photograph the recently completed restoration of the Monastery of Leça do Balio, along with the new Escultura Aberta (Open Sculpture) by Álvaro Siza. Designed by Siza Vieira and Sidónio Pardal, the project reactivates this historic site along the Caminho de Santiago (Portuguese Way to Santiago de Compostela). The white concrete Escultura Aberta creates a contemplative space of light and openness, engaging in a quiet dialogue with the centuries-old monastery.

In this ongoing photographic project, we are exploring the relationship between the new and the old, focusing on the interplay of light and architecture, the emerging textures, the human scale within the space, and its connection to the surrounding landscape.