70 years of Carvalho, Batista & Cª, Lda - Invitation to Siza Vieira, Arch.
Continuing the challenge we set ourselves to share our history and evolution, as a company and entity of commercial and historical reference, both for the sector and for the city's own culture and identity, we invited Architect Siza Vieira to write about his relationship with Carvalho, Batista & Cª., Lda, following this path of celebrating the company's 70 years.
“Carvalho Batista became an almost mandatory visit every week.
The habit started perhaps when I was twenty-one years old, at the same time I started my experience with construction and was allowed to design everything: from furniture, doors, windows, hardware, and I cannot recall what else.
I was as ignorant as any other aspiring to become an architect, before diving into the deep waters of construction.
At Rua do Almada my advisor was, first and foremost, José Carvalho, and often Baptista.
I learned a lot from both, as I learned from books and architects, from engineers, stonemasons, carpenters, fitters and blacksmiths and practitioners of other arts and crafts.
It was good to learn, knowing that for them was good to teach.
At Rua do Almada there were still other «advantages»:
José Carvalho's permanent good humor, his pleasure in receiving me, clarifying my doubts and looking for solutions, the stories he told, punctuated by new jokes.
Overall - Friendship
The company was a consultant and supplier for many of us, young and old architects, never regretful.
We celebrate its seventy years old and the quality and integrity of the founders and the successor José Carvalho, architect and Friend.
Porto, September 2023
Álvaro Siza”
The habit started perhaps when I was twenty-one years old, at the same time I started my experience with construction and was allowed to design everything: from furniture, doors, windows, hardware, and I cannot recall what else.
I was as ignorant as any other aspiring to become an architect, before diving into the deep waters of construction.
At Rua do Almada my advisor was, first and foremost, José Carvalho, and often Baptista.
I learned a lot from both, as I learned from books and architects, from engineers, stonemasons, carpenters, fitters and blacksmiths and practitioners of other arts and crafts.
It was good to learn, knowing that for them was good to teach.
At Rua do Almada there were still other «advantages»:
José Carvalho's permanent good humor, his pleasure in receiving me, clarifying my doubts and looking for solutions, the stories he told, punctuated by new jokes.
Overall - Friendship
The company was a consultant and supplier for many of us, young and old architects, never regretful.
We celebrate its seventy years old and the quality and integrity of the founders and the successor José Carvalho, architect and Friend.
Porto, September 2023
Álvaro Siza”
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