?LVARO SIZA TRANSFORMING REALITYKenneth Frampton and ?lvaro Siza visitthe sites of Siza's breakthrough workProducer and director: Michael BlackwoodEditor: Jo?lle SchonAssociate Producer: Caroline KerriganProduced by Michael BlackwoodProductions, Inc.This documentation received a grant from theGraham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts.Copyright: 200458 minutesIn ''?lvaro Siza TransformingReality'', Portugal'srenowned architect discusses his work and tours approximately 15 projectswith architectural historian Kenneth Frampton, who has referred to Siza as''one of the most important architects working today''. In 1974 the end of the dictatorship in Portugalopened up this previously isolated part of the world to current ideas aboutdesign, architecture and urban planning. 'Critical regionalism', or themelding of indigenous architectural forms with international ideas definedthe architectural revolution in and around Oporto, Portugal.This movement became know as 'the OportoSchool' of which?lvaro Siza is the leading figure. Siza's approach to architecture is centeredaround the idea that the setting of a building is integral to its design,moreover that a structure's design should reinforce its surroundings by bothenhancing and highlighting its potential. Frampton discusses with Siza his mostimportant architectural innovations at the actual sites in Portugal, including his large-scale housingproject in Evora, the architecture school of the University in Porto, theTeachers' College in Set?bal and the recent SerravlesMuseum in Porto.Film distribution and description: MichaelBlackwood Productions, Inc.251 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, USA