Architecture | Tribute to Manuel Vicente’s constant reinvention

Ung Vai Meng talks about Manuel Vicente, whilst Rui Leão (left) watches

The work of Portuguese architect Manuel Vicente is the theme of “Macau: Reading the Hybrid City,” launched earlier this month at the Rui Cunha Foundation.
Published by the non-profit organization, Docomomo Macau, the English-language catalogue (supplemented with some articles in Portuguese) is the result of three international conferences held in 2014 and an exhibition centered on Vicente, who passed away in 2013. Vicente left an extensive body of work in the city. Some of his famous projects and designs include the architectonic intervention program at St Paul’s Ruins and works to close the Praia Grande bay (with the subsequent creation of Sai Van and Nam Van lakes), as well as several residential and government buildings throughout the city.

Rui Leão, president of Docomomo Macau, told the Times that the catalogue is one of the key items in the program held to celebrate Manuel Vicente’s work and legacy. It will be complemented with a biographical essay by Raquel Ochoa, to be launched this year on a date yet to be announced.
“One of the main goals behind the catalogue is to discuss and think about the proposal that there was a ‘school’ founded by Manuel Vicente’s architecture. Similarly, there is an architectonic school founded by Siza Vieira. In the case of Manuel Vicente, it is not a school based on one single style,” said Leão. He added that the term “school” applied to Vicente “is mostly a methodological approach of continuous questioning.”
Macanese architect Carlos Marreiros presented the book, stressing that Vicente had truly stirred the waters in Macau: “He had the quality of stirring controversies and question the architecture that was made. He believed in his own ideas, but that didn’t stop him from debating with others.”
The book was sponsored by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and its president, Ung Vai Meng, attended the launch. He said that Manuel Vicente left a notable mark on Macau. “He is a portrait of our city and contributed to make Macau a place that differs a lot from other Chinese cities.”
“Macau: Reading the Hybrid City” will be made available at several local bookshops and also at the Museum of Art shop.

Homage still missing

According to Carlos Marreiros, late architects Manuel Vicente and Francisco Figueira should be honored by having Macau streets named after them. “Both made a notable contribution to Macau’s heritage,” he said.  In 2013, a local newspaper filed a petition to the IACM to name a street in Macau “Architect Manuel Vicente,” but to no avail.