Álvaro Siza emerged serene from the creative chaos of the late 20th century as an architect whose work is largely untrammelled by fashion, fickle form-making or extravagant gestures. Now feted as one of the few living masters of modern architecture (this year he was awarded the RIBA Gold Medal), Siza is a practitioner unconcerned with the superficially heroic and iconic, preferring to create a strong sense of place through his sculptural and monumental works.
See more images of Siza's masterpieces in the latest book dedicated to his work
Rather than provide an overview of his half-century long career, The Function of Beauty keeps its focus on the present day, delving in depth into 21 recently built and still ongoing works. Given that Siza is one of the foremost proponents of a modern architecture with a strong connection to place, the featured buildings demonstrate a broad range of stylistic approaches, always pared down yet formally varied. The trademark white render dominates, of course, but there are several surprises, like the metal-clad House in Pego, the serene brick pavilions of the Insel-Hombroich Foundation in Germany and the chalky white concrete of the Ibere Camargo Foundation Museum in Brazil.
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A landmark show by ‘the godfather of the modern collectible design movement’ opens at Ralph Pucci, New YorkParisian designer Hervé Van der Straeten unveils a large new collection at Ralph Pucci, celebrating 20 years of collaboration with the New York master
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The Spirit of Paimio brings new life to the modernist landmarkThe second edition of the Spirit of Paimio conference, ‘Reimagining Community’, brings together a group of architects, writers, designers, astrophysicists, and artists to think and talk about what it means to be in community at the sanatorium turned Modernist site
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Kohler plunges into the world of wellness with an ice bath for your homeKohler has teamed up with Remedy Place to design an ice bath for the home, marking the brand’s first move into the wellness space
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‘Gas Tank City’, a new monograph by Andrew Holmes, is a photorealist eye on the American West‘Gas Tank City’ chronicles the artist’s journey across truck-stop America, creating meticulous drawings of fleeting moments
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'I’m So Happy You Are Here': discover the work of Japanese women photographersSubtitled ‘Japanese Women Photographers from the 1950s to Now’, this new monograph from Aperture is a fascinating insight into a critically overlooked body of work
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How the west won: Ivan McClellan is amplifying the intrepid beauty of Black cowboy cultureIn his new book, 'Eight Seconds: Black Cowboy Culture', Ivan McClellan draws us into the world of Black rodeo. Wallpaper* meets the photographer ahead of his Juneteenth Rodeo
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‘Package Holiday 1968-1985’: a very British love affair in pictures‘Package Holiday’ recalls tans, table tennis and Technicolor in Trevor Clark’s wistful snaps of sun-seeking Brits
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‘Art Exposed’: Julian Spalding on everything that’s wrong with the art worldIn ‘Art Exposed’, Julian Spalding draws on his 40 years in the art world – as a museum director, curator, and critic – for his series of essays
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Marisol Mendez's ‘Madre’ unpicks the woven threads of Bolivian womanhoodFrom ancestry to protest, how Marisol Mendez’s 'Madre' is rewriting the narrative of Bolivian womanhood
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Photo book explores the messy, magical mundanity of new motherhood‘Sorry I Gave Birth I Disappeared But Now I’m Back’ by photographer Andi Galdi Vinko explores new motherhood in all its messy, beautiful reality
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Best contemporary art books: a guide for 2024From maverick memoirs to topical tomes, turn over a new leaf with the Wallpaper* arts desk’s pick of new releases and all-time favourite art books
