A Pool On The Beach

Álvaro Sizas Tidal Swimming Pool has been highlighted by critics as a significant mark in the architects career, from a time when he had still not reached full international notoriety. The 60’s decade witnessed the design and construction of this building, which was to be of service to the general public, providing a better enjoyment of the sea and the sun at the beach of Leça da Palmeira. From a simple program for a saltwater tank, Álvaro Siza produced a set of spaces that lead the bather from the coastal road to the rocks on the sea, on a course that enhances the relationship between what is artificial and what is natural. With an extensive presentation of design statements, drawings and photographs, a text by Siza and an essay by Michel Toussaint.