Piscinas das Marés – Where Architecture Meets the Atlantic

4 septembre 2025

Introducing the Piscinas das Marés (Tidal Pools) designed by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira—nestled on the rocky coast of Leça da Palmeira in Portugal and gracefully integrated into the surrounding nature.

A Vision Carved in Rock and Water.

Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Leça da Palmeira coast, the Piscinas das Marés are one of Álvaro Siza Vieira's first masterpieces, designed in the 1960s and inaugurated in 1966.

Conceived as a response to the energy of the Atlantic, the project replaces a simple saltwater tank with a poetic architectural experience—two saltwater pools (one for adults and one for children), changing rooms, a café/lounge, and seasonal fitness options, that blend seamlessly with the natural rock formations.

The layout is a crafted journey—entrants descend via a gentle ramp that momentarily occludes the ocean view, heightening auditory awareness of the waves before unveiling the panoramic scene of water and sky upon arrival. This thoughtful choreography reflects Siza’s belief in architecture as an experiential medium.

Concrete, Wood and Copper

Executed in board-marked concrete, with wooden roofing and copper-clad finishes over asphaltic membranes, the design’s material palette echoes both modern sensibilities and contextual nuance.
The materials age gracefully amid the elements—structures that speak of both permanence and vulnerability.
Rather than imposing on the scenery, the pools nestle within it, as a harmonious gesture in the Landscape. They are placed below street level, preserving an unobstructed horizon for passersby and inviting discovery from the beach.

Between 2019 and 2021, the structure underwent meticulous restoration to address concrete degradation, filtration systems, and wooden elements. Siza himself supervised the updates, ensuring the original language remained intact while subtly improving usability—new changing rooms and open areas were added, along with technical enhancements.

The design is a testament to restraint: the restraint of bold forms, lingering in the poetry of place, and an elegant synthesis of human intent and natural whims.
Siza creates not just a place to bathe, but an almost ritualistic sequence—from street to pool, sight to sound, enclosure to expanse.
Beyond its functional value, Piscinas das Marés occupies a revered place among Portugal’s architectural symbols, embodying the ethos of organic architecture and drawing admiration from global connoisseurs.

The author.

Álvaro Joaquim de Melo Siza Vieira (b. 1933) is one of the most prestigious contemporary Portuguese architects. Throughout a long and distinguished career, his work has been widely recognized.

Among his many distinctions, the following stand out: the Pritzker Prize for Architecture (1992); the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects (2009); the Gold Medal of the International Union of Architects (2011); the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale (2012); and the Spanish National Architecture Award (2019), making him the first non-Spanish architect to receive it.

His vast body of work is so remarkable and important that in 2015, architect Siza Vieira donated his professional archive to three institutions: the Canadian Center for Architecture, the Serralves Foundation, and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

The Piscinas das Marés are more than just a beachfront pool—they are a poetic encounter between built form and nature, a sensory journey and a civic legacy. From their understated materials to their monumentality, they exemplify how architecture can elevate everyday life to something memorable.

Here, the line between the artificial and the natural is so subtle, yet so pronounced, that it makes this project what some call one of the most beautiful pools in the world, and we here at our blog wholeheartedly agree.