The "Luis Ferreira Alves International Photography Competition | A Contemporary Look at Architecture" is a biennial programme. It aims to honour the person and the work of this outstanding photographer, who bridged the gap between analogue and digital photography and whose work is recognised both nationally and internationally.

Luis Ferreira Alves' photographic work demonstrates a remarkable ability to create a unique perspective, both "objective" and "subjective", on the work of various renowned Portuguese architects, including Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura. His images convey an intimate understanding of these architects—both Pritzker Prize winners—and the architectural spaces they designed. While it is true that Luis Ferreira Alves offers us visually striking documents of architectural spaces and forms, his perspective, shaped by centuries of visual culture since the Renaissance, goes beyond mere representation. His work reveals a deep understanding and appreciation of architecture due to his close relationship with the practice and discipline itself.

The LFA AWARD takes shape through the international competition established under the protocol agreed between the heirs of Luis Ferreira Alves and the promoting bodies, Porto City Council (CMP) and Cityscopio — Associação Cultural (CCA). The Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (FAUP) and Casa da Arquitectura (CA) are members of the Organising Committee.

The competition is also supported by a broad network of organisations and partners which, working in different fields, contribute to its consolidation, communication and national and international profile. Its sponsors and supporting organisations include the “la Caixa” Foundation / BPI, Canon and J.Soares Correia.

The Northern Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR-N), Metro do Porto, AMAG and panoramah! are strategic partners; the Portuguese Architects’ Association (OA), the Marques da Silva Foundation Institute (FIMS) and the Serralves Foundation form part of its network of institutional partners.

Main Objectives

To promote a deep understanding of the practice and discipline of architecture, both in Portugal and worldwide, within broader sociocultural, artistic, technical, political, and historical systems, through the lens of photography.
To communicate the significant and unique relationship that a photographer can establish with an architect and their work. We believe that this nuanced understanding is an important lesson from Luis Ferreira Alves’ architectural photography, and something that this Competition seeks to foster and strengthen, especially at a time when architecture is increasingly consumed through images.

Context

The "Luis Ferreira Alves International Photography Competition | A Contemporary Look at Architecture" draws inspiration from Luis Ferreira Alves' artistic vision and life experiences, rooted in two key pillars: his deep appreciation for architecture and his enduring connection to the city of Porto. For this reason, the promoters of the competition are Porto City Council - which awarded him the Gold Medal of Cultural Merit, recognising him as a meritorious citizen of the city - and the cultural association Cityscopio (publisher of the book Luis Ferreira Alves - Fotografias em obras de Eduardo Souto de Moura, 2016), as well as strategic partner Casa da Arquitetura - as the space that houses a large part of his archive - and, among others, the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto, which is part of the organising committee due to its strong connection to Luis Ferreira Alves' work as an architectural photographer.

As a pioneer of architectural photography in Portugal, Luis Ferreira Alves contributed to the dissemination of the work of many architects on an international scale. This Competition aims to recognise established authors, identify new ways of seeing and give visibility to emerging practices, while encouraging contemporary reflection on the relationships between photography, architecture, city and territory. This recognition will be achieved through the awarding of prizes, the exhibition of the short lists and winning works, and their publication in a catalogue.

Additionally, the Competition will allow other entities to promote debates and round tables on the theme, open to the academic community and cultural institutions interested in studying and disseminating photography and architecture.

The exhibition will showcase the selected works encouraging reflection on the practice and discipline of photography and its relationship with the world of architecture, which characterised Luis Ferreira Alves’ work.

At the opening of the exhibition, the prizes will also be awarded. The 1st and 2nd Prize will include a monetary award, and the 3rd Prize will be photographic equipment. The 2nd edition also introduces the Portuguese Emerging Photography Award, and the prize will be also photographic equipment.

All the winning works (including the Special Mentions, if any) and finalist will be published in a catalogue and presented at that event.

What can I win?

1st Prize: €10,000
2nd Prize: €4,000
3rd Prize: Photography equipment voucher worth €1,500. Additionally, all winners receive a certificate.
Emerging Portuguese Photography Award: Photography equipment voucher worth €1,500, and a certificate.

Photographic Project Submission

The “Luis Ferreira Alves International Photography Competition | A Contemporary Look at Architecture” was designed to encourage the creation of a photographic series of 9 to 11 images, accompanied by a descriptive text of no more than 2,000 characters, capable of communicating the essence of a work or set of architectural works, while allowing for imagination and a personal approach, in accordance with the principles outlined in the Competition Regulations.