Congratulation Vote for donation of Paulo Mendes da Rocha's Collection to Casa

The Portuguese Parliament unanimously approved the vote of congratulation presented by the Socialist Party (PS) for the donation of Paulo Mendes da Rocha´s collection to Casa da Arquitectura, in Matosinhos, “recognizing the importance of this institution in the treatment, archiving and dissemination of architectural heritage”.
The 91 years old architect, urban planner and teacher Paulo Mendes da Rocha was born in Vitória, having graduated from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the Mackenzie University, in São Paulo.
In 1961, thanks to the work of the São Paulo Athletic Club’s Gymnasium, he won the Presidency of the Republic Grand Prize of the VI São Paulo Biennial, a feat that led him to join the so-called “Escola Paulista”. In the 80’s and 90’s began a new stage of public recognition of his work, to which the restoration of São Paulo State’s Art Gallery and the Cultural Centre of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo contributed.
In 2006, after a period of intensification of his international recognition, he was awarded the Pritzker Prize, the highest global award among architects, which was followed, in 2016, by the Golden Lion at the Venice Architecture Biennale and the Japanese Praemium Imperiale for architecture.
When choosing the Portuguese Centre for Architecture as the destination of its collection, “the donor also transmits to Matosinhos, Portugal and the World, a message of confidence in relation to the way his work will be cared for, treated and disseminated”, considers the proposal from the Socialist Party, recalling that CA, “a non-profit institution, opened in 2017, dedicated exclusively to architecture, combines three important aspects: archive, treatment and exhibition. It should be noted that it benefits from exceptional physical conditions, since, thanks to the support of the Municipality of Matosinhos and the signing of a lending contract, it is installed in a dedicated area of ​​5,000 m2 (former building of “Real Vinícola”).
The donation includes all the material produced during the architect’s professional life, that is, about 8,800 items, related to more than 320 projects (6,300 analogue drawings, 3,000 photographs and various models). This congratulation vote also recognizes that it is “a very valuable asset that, undoubtedly, will contribute to the reinforcement of Portugal’s international reputation and excellence.”
The Vote Project No. 316/XIV/2nd of congratulation for the donation of Paulo Mendes da Rocha’s collection to Casa da Arquitectura (CA) – Portuguese Centre for Architecture was presented by the deputies Pedro de Sousa, Rosário Gambôa, José Luís Carneiro, Tiago Barbosa Ribeiro, Alexandre Quintanilha, José Magalhães, Sara Velez, Bacelar Vasconcelos, Cristina Sousa, José Manuel Carpinteira, Paulo Porto, Sofia Araújo, Pedro Cegonho, Carlos Brás, Carla Sousa, Mara Coelho, Constança Urbano de Sousa, Eduardo Barroco de Melo, Hugo Carvalho, Lúcia Araújo Silva, Pedro Delgado Alves.