Luis Ferreira Alves Award returns to Porto to celebrate winners: opening of the exhibition and launch of the 2025 edition publication
On 12 September 2025, at 5 p.m., the Old Town Hall (Porto) will host the award ceremony for the 1st edition of the Luis Ferreira Alves International Photography Competition | A Contemporary Look at Architecture.
The occasion will also mark the launch of the bilingual publication (Portuguese–English), conceived as an independent, curatorial work that brings together photography, critical essays and reflections on architecture. This edition, produced in partnership between scopio Editions and the prestigious Spanish publisher Turner, guarantees wide international distribution, reinforcing the ambition to engage not only with professionals in the field, but also with a wider cultural audience beyond national borders.
More than just a competition catalogue, this publication was conceived as an autonomous space for thought and cultural debate, aimed at both professionals in the field and a wider audience interested in architecture, photography and contemporary visual arts.
The session will have a reception in honour of the guests.
Presence of the winners and the international jury
The ceremony will be attended by the distinguished authors of this first edition — Maho (1st Prize, which will be represented by a friend residing in Portugal), Cyril Weiner (2nd Prize), Sergio Belinchón (3rd Prize), and Amélia Lancaster, Sana (Special Mention) — as well as the prestigious members of the jury: architect Eduardo Souto de Moura and photographers Hélène Binet and Paulo Catrica.
The ceremony will also bring together representatives of the promoting entities, partners and sponsors, including Porto City Council, CIN, BPI, with the support of the “la Caixa” Foundation and Canon, reaffirming their collective commitment to artistic creation, the promotion of architectural photography and the preservation of the memory of Luis Ferreira Alves.
Exhibition at the Old Town Hall until 31 October
The exhibition, open until 31 October, will bring together the series awarded and distinguished by the jury, accompanied by critical texts and essays that provide an artistic and cultural context.
The choice of the Old Town Hall, in the historic heart of the city, reinforces the symbolic dimension of the event, bringing the legacy of Luis Ferreira Alves closer to the architectural and cultural tradition of Porto.
Memory and future: an expanding project
Following the official announcement of the winners on 28 June at the Casa da Arquitectura in Matosinhos, this second stage of the programme consolidates the public and cultural dimension of the award.
The Luis Ferreira Alves Award, established in honour of the life and work of the photographer — a leading figure in architectural photography in Portugal — has already established itself as an international platform for critical and poetic reflection on architecture through photography.
With 1,495 entries from 99 countries, this first edition confirmed the global impact of the initiative and inaugurated a network of institutional and artistic collaborations that will propel the competition into the future.
Parallel programme
Also in 2025, a special session will be held to present the publication at national and international level, and guided tours and master classes will be organised during the exhibition period.
Information
Antiga Casa da Câmara – Terreiro da Sé, 4000-013 Porto
12 September 2025
5 p.m.
Free admission, subject to space availability
Contacts: info@luisferreiraalvesphotoaward.com
The Luis Ferreira Alves Award is promoted by the Porto City Council and Cityscopio – Cultural Association, in partnership with the photographer's family. It has the institutional support of FAUP, CCDR-N, Fundação Marques da Silva, Ordem dos Arquitetos and Casa da Arquitectura, and is sponsored by CIN, BPI/Fundação “la Caixa” and Canon, in addition to the collaboration of strategic communication partners such as Metro do Porto, Panoramah! and AMAG.
