Directed by: Sara Nunes Original Idea by: João Rapagão e Sara Nunes
The First Siza is a documentary about the Four Houses, Álvaro Siza’s first built work, designed while he was still a student, and the impact of architecture on people’s lives. Centred around the reunion — 60 years later — between the architect and Fernando Neto, his first client and the owner of one of the houses in Matosinhos, the film reveals how this project became a turning point in Siza’s career. Featuring interviews with Siza, the houses’ residents, and critic Francesco Dal Co, as well as current and archival footage, the narrative explores how architecture and the lives of its inhabitants become deeply intertwined over time.
6 OCTOBER 2025 – PREMIERE IN PORTUGAL
"The First Siza is not just a look into the past, but a reflection on the power of architecture as a social act."
At a time when the housing crisis dominates public debate, The First Siza invites us to rethink the role of architecture in our lives: "More than building houses, what matters is thinking about the lives built within them. What kind of cities — and countries — do we want to build? Because everything begins at home."
directed by Sara Nunes
Photograph by architect António Menéres, courtesy of the author, Álvaro Siza’s office at the Edifício Imperial, Porto, 1957
Outro documentário sobre Álvaro Siza?
Outro documentário sobre Álvaro Siza?
-
The reunion between Siza and Fernando Neto reveals the collaborative and participatory nature of the project, which extended from the design phase all the way through to construction. The film explores the tensions within this process — from the dilemma of the staircase, which the carpenters feared might be unsafe, to the conflict over the balcony, rejected by Siza but defended by the family. These negotiations, challenges, and adaptations shaped a project with a singular identity, turning it into a true laboratory of formal and constructive experimentation.
This moment marks the beginning of Álvaro Siza’s career and already anticipates elements of his architectural language. “It was a very rich experience for my development!” he recalls.
Reflecting on how he was perceived at the time, he says: “Back then, even at 21, I had more power than I do today!” And he concludes: “I know there are many exhibitions, many conferences, lots of articles in the newspapers (...) but the truth is that what we see is not indifference — it’s contempt for architecture and for architects!”
The First Siza is not just a look into the past, but a reflection on the power of architecture as a social act. The film reveals how houses become living witnesses to the stories of those who inhabit them. Every element of the house — from the stairs to the gate — holds a personal story: a birth, a romance, a moment of play, a concert. “Architecture is not just walls and ceilings, but spaces that transform and define life experiences,” says director Sara Nunes.
Sara Nunes (director of the documentary)
"This is not just another documentary about the life or work of Álvaro Siza. Rather, it is the record of the lives of four generations, shaped and inspired by the architecture of one of four houses conceived and designed by Álvaro Siza over six decades.
It is, therefore, a documentary about people and life, framed and nourished daily by architecture.
Fernando Távora once declared that architecture is life. He added that life is beautiful. This concept could very well serve as an alternative title for this documentary."
João Rapagão
[ Making-of ]
“The film directed by Sara Nunes captures with quality and rigor the essence of this long story. A film full of freshness and authenticity.”
ÁLVARO SIZA
SCREENINGS
We are preparing The First Siza tour and looking for local partners interested in hosting a special screening of the film in their city or region starting October 2025.
If you would like to be part of this tour and bring the documentary — and its story about the impact of architecture on people’s lives — to your community, click the button below and start the conversation with us.
24th of April 2025
SERRALVES MUSEUM
Oporto, Portugal
Private Session
September 2025
POWER STATION ART
Shangai, China
Private Session
1st October 2025
CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN Foundation
Lisbon, Portugal
Premiere
REVIEW “THE FIRST SIZA”
JOEL CLETO
“A beautiful film! (…) This is not just a film about architecture — it is also a film of architecture. (…) It focuses more on the relationship of a family that lived in these houses. Yes, it is a documentary about architecture, but it’s also a deeply engaging reflection on the importance of architecture in shaping the experience of dwelling. I strongly recommend it to all viewers who have the chance to see this film, directed by Sara Nunes in collaboration with architect João Rapagão. I had the opportunity to watch it in Serralves, and I was completely captivated.”
What they say about the film:
-
![]()
"This film should be mandatory — for everyone studying architecture, for all who practise it, and for anyone who one day hopes to entrust an architect with the place where their life story will unfold."
RUI DINIS
Spaceworkers
-
![]()
"The First Siza is a film that, more than presenting a work of architecture in its most intricate and technical details, calls us to the noblest and most compelling dimension of the discipline: the relationship between the design of space and its inhabitants, (…) between the architect as a master and life as the subject."
PEDRO BAGANHA
City Councillor for Urban Planning and Housing – Porto City Council
-
![]()
"I loved it! I found the documentary beautifully balanced between architecture and life, humour and seriousness!"
MARIA SOUTO DE MOURA
fr-ia
-
![]()
"Architects and non-architects alike feel a mix of admiration and envy — for the ingenuity of a young architect who knew how to shape his path in dialogue with masters, craftspeople, and clients, and for a family who, almost unknowingly, built a relationship of respect and value with the discipline. Everything we aspire to in our practice. Truly moving."
LUÍS TAVARES PEREIRA
Ainda Arquitectura
-
![]()
"Mais do que mostrar fachadas ou desenhos, o documentário dá voz aos habitantes, cujas histórias se entrelaçam com os espaços que habitam. Aqui, a arquitetura não é apenas forma — é cenário vivo, que molda memórias, rotinas e afetos. Com delicadeza, humor e uma escuta atenta, o filme celebra a capacidade de Siza de criar beleza onde a vida acontece.”
MARTA BRANDÃO
MIMA Housing
-
![]()
“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 live in a house, like any one of us. (...) Without ever imagining how deeply one can feel happiness simply by living in a good home.”
AVELINO OLIVEIRA
Presidente da Ordem dos Arquitectos
-
![]()
"Really good! I especially appreciate when our senses — like a tear or a smile — are drawn out effortlessly."
FERNANDO COELHO
FCC Arquitectura
-
![]()
The First Siza is a delightful film to watch — perfectly balanced in its humour and filled with subtlety. It’s moving to witness Álvaro Siza reunite with his first client, in a moment full of memories and mutual understanding, revealing how architecture is also built on emotional bonds. An essential film for anyone interested in architecture, memory — and the quiet stories that places have to tell.
JOANNA HELM
Architect and Communication Specialist
-
![]()
“It was a breath of fresh air, a simplicity rich in emotions — I was truly happy to have gone to see it.”
FRANCISCO VIEIRA DE CAMPOS
Menos é Mais
-
![]()
“A documentary that masterfully honors time — an ode to patience and care: from Siza, who returns to his first work sixty years later to plan small repairs; from Sara and João, who worked unhurriedly over a decade to produce this film.”
SAMUEL GONÇALVES
Summary
