Álvaro Siza's lordelo do ouro cooperative building: preliminary studies towards the conservation of a masterpiece in need of recognition

Abstract

Álvaro Siza designed and built (1960-63) the Lordelo do Ouro Cooperative Building in Porto by appointment of the national federative cooperative movement in Portugal. The building has seldom been considered throughout almost four decades of critical reviews about Siza’s worldwide renowned work. That was probably due to the deteriorated aspect it was reduced to, in fact few years after its completion the management fired the architect and operated heavy alterations. Nowadays, because of socio-economic changes, which were not matched, the Cooperative lies almost abandoned. No doubt that the building looks poor, nevertheless the robustness of its spatial and structural organization has preserved most of its intrinsic quality, which is still there just waiting to be rediscovered and once again fully appreciated.