Álvaro Joaquim de Melo Siza Vieira was born in Matosinhos in 1933.
He studied Architecture in the Escola Superior de Belas Artes do Porto (Fine Arts College of Oporto) between 1949 and 1955, and his first work was built in 1954.
He tought in ESBAP between 1966 and 1969 and in the Faculty of Architecture of Oporto University between 1976 and 2003.
He was Visiting Professor in the Lausanne Polithecnic School, in the University of Pensilvania, in the school of Los Andes in Bogotá, in the Graduate School of Design of Harvard University as a "Kenzo Tange Visiting Professor".
Author of many projects, has at the moment works in construction in Portugal, Spain, Italy, China, Japan and South Corea.
He works in the city of Oporto.
In 1982, the Portuguese Section of the International Association of Art Critics conceded him the Architecture Pize of the Year.
In 1988, received the Gold Medal of Architecture of the Superior Council of the College of Architects of Madrid, the Gold Medal of the Foundation Alvar Aalto, the Prize Prince of Wales of Harvard University, and the European Prize of Architecture from the Comission of the European Cumunities/ Foundation Mies van der Rohe.
In 1992, received the Pritzker Prize from the Hyatt Foundation of Chicago for his overall work.
In 1995, received the Gold Medal atributed bu the Nara World Architecture Exposition.
In 1996, received the Secil Prize of Architecture.
In 1998, received the Praemium Imperiale by the Japan Art Association, of Tóquio, and the Gold Medal of the Fine Arts Circle of Madrid.
In 1999, received the Grã-Cruz da Ordem do Infante D. Henrique atributed by the Portuguese Republic Presidence, and the Prize Leca de Construção’98.
In 2000, the Fondazione Frate Sole, from Pavia, atributed him the Premio Internazionale di Architettura Sacra and also recived Secil prize of Architecture.
In 2001, receives a Prize by the Wolf Foundation in Israel.
In 2002, receives the VI Internacional Compostela Prize of the Xunta da Galicia, of Santiago de Compostela; the Medal of Arts by the Consejera de las Artes, from Madrid; the Venice gold Leon (best project) by the Venice Bienal.
In 2009, receives the Royal Golden Medal 2009 by the Royal Institute of British Architects de Londres; Golden Medal by the Academie d’architecture de Paris; Medal of Cultural Metith by the Ministry of Culture in Portugal; Prize Estremadura e la Creacion by the Junta de Estremadura, Mérida.
In 2010, distinction as Comendador da Ordem das Artes e Letras of Paris; Prize Fundación Cristóbal Gabarrón – Arts 2010.
In 2011, receives the Golden Medal of UIA in Tokio.
In 2012, receives the Honoriphic Prize AR&PA 2012 by the Consejeria de Cultura y Turismo de Junta de Castilla y León de Valladolid, and the Golden Leon Prize by the venice Bienal.
He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; is “Honorary Fellow” of the RIBA/Royal Institute of British Architects; is a member of the BDA/Bund Deutscher Architekten; “Honorary Fellow” and “Honorary FAIA” of the AIA/American Institute of Architects; is a member of the Académie d’Architecture de France; of the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts; of the IAA/International Academy of Architecture; of the National Geographic Portugal;
Honorary Partner and Honorary Member of the "Ordem" of the Portuguese Architects; member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters;
Honorary Professor of the Southeast University of China, the China Academy of Art, and Honorary Partner of the Academy of schools of Architecture and Urbanism of Countries with Portuguese Language.