“Fernando Távora. “Free Thought” is a synthetic exhibition of the life and work of the architect Fernando Távora, curated by Alexandre Alves Costa (coordinator), Ana Alves Costa, Jorge Figueira, José António Bandeirinha, Luís Martinho Urbano and Maria Manuel Oliveira.

The exhibition seeks to portray the character, his vast culture, his working method, the way he used Drawing and History in design practice, and how his classes were fundamental for successive generations of students to understand what Architecture is and its professional practice. It has no intention of approaching a retrospective exhibition, however.

For the title, we initially thought of Free Thought. The movement of this name, which emerged from the French Revolution, held the conviction that all phenomena must be explained on the basis of science, logic and reason. However, the modernists of the Orpheus Generation went much further, considering no limits to their thought, admitting without problems of coherence all conditions, even those that depart from reason. They are not “freethinkers”, they are free-thinking citizens. It is with them that Fernando Távora identifies, and whose work he collects attentively and passionately, as if seeking a solidarity for his heterodoxy. For this reason, the title Fernando Távora was established for this exhibition. Free Thinking.

The commemorative programme of the Centenary of Fernando Távora is a common proposition of the Order of Architects, the Marques da Silva Foundation and the three Schools of Architecture where his innovative and even (re)foundational vision was felt, the Faculty of Architecture of the U.Porto, the School of Architecture, Art and Design of the University of Minho, and the Department of Architecture of the University of Coimbra.

It also has the support of Banco BPI, Fundação la Caixa, DST Group, Tintas Cin, Efapel e Lab2PT.

The inauguration of the exhibition “Fernando Távora. Free Thinking” takes place on May 15 at 6:00 pm, at Galeria da Garagem Avenida, in Guimarães, and will be on display until July 6.