Siza Vieira to design Hotel Estoril revamp

The lateral façade of Hotel Estoril

Siza Vieira has accepted an invitation to revamp the Hotel Estoril, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture confirmed yesterday. The Portuguese architect will be in Macau in October to discuss the renovation plan.
“I asked if the architect could help us to design a new center for arts and creativity targeting youth [located at the former Hotel Estoril],” Alexis Tam said on the sidelines of a meeting at the Legislative Assembly. “He accepted the invitation.”
Álvaro Siza Vieira is one of Portugal’s most recognized architects. He won the Pritzker Prize in 1992 for Portugal’s pavilion at the Expo ’98, and in 2012 he was awarded the Golden Lion for lifetime achievements at the Venice Biennale. The architect is also set to work on a project in which the local Macau hotel “Sun Sun” would be renovated.  This hotel is located in the Inner Harbor. An exhibition of his works was showcased in town last year, at which he was in attendance, and it was then that he announced that he would be working on the hotel.
Questioned on the options of either keeping the hotel’s façade or creating a new building from scratch, Alexis Tam noted that Siza Vieira favors demolition, since the renowned architect doesn’t think the building holds relevant architectural value.
“However, the government is open to other options,” Mr Tam said, adding that “educational associations, including teachers and school heads, don’t want to keep the façade.” This is an opinion not shared by all local architects.
Whatever option is taken will be controversial, Alexis Tam recognized. “People will no doubt criticize – I’m prepared for that. I must take into consideration the public interest. The project is for the benefit of Macau’s youth,” he said.