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U.Porto Memory

University of Porto Famous Alumni

Artur Vieira de Andrade

Artur Vieira de Andrade 1913-2005 Architect and politician

Artur Vieira de Andrade was born in Rua Antero de Quental, in Cedofeita, Porto, on 14th May 1913, of Manuel Vieira de Andrade and Clara Rodrigues, from Vila Real.
He was very interested in politics from an early age. This particular interest unveiled when he was attending the secondary school Rodrigues de Freitas, and led to his leaving home at the age of 18, as his ideology did not match his family's. His mother in particular was unwilling to accept his involvement in political issues and, especially, the regular visits he received from the political police (PVDE, which was later to be called PIDE).

He then started working in a factory, and as soon as he could he enrolled in the course of Architecture at the Porto Higher Institute of Fine Arts. His talent for drawing was acknowledged by this school, which allowed him to work at the workshop of the architect Arménio Losa at night, after school.
At the ESBAP he attended the Special Course of Architecture from 1934 to 1937, and the Architecture Higher Education Course from 1941 to 1946. After he finished his degree, he worked in the building industry.

In 1947 he was invited by the Associação Industrial Portuense to draw the new exhibition centre for the Palácio de Cristal Gardens, scheduled for the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of its foundation. However, his preliminary project was rejected by the Mayor, on the grounds that he was against the Regime. His disappointment was partly overcome by the solidarity of his peers. 34 architects signed a letter, which was published in the magazine Arquitectura, whereby they criticised the unfair decision of the Mayor; the Mayor ignored the quality of the project based upon merely political issues.

Although he has not built the Exhibition Palace, he planned the iconic Batalha Cinema, in the square with the same name, in Porto, where the cinema High Life used to be, close to the Águia d’Douro Cinema. This building, which has an expressionist and highly dynamic character, was decorated with mural paintings by Augusto Gomes, António Sampaio and Júlio Pomar, and allegorical sculptures by António Braga and Arlindo Gonçalves.
This work was well received by the Porto inhabitants, though polemic. The neo-realist mural painted by Júlio Pomar was interpreted by the authorities as a communist manifesto, and hence was destroyed.
The official inauguration of this cultural venue took place on 3rd June 1947. It was one of the favourite cinema venues of the Porto citizens for decades, until it went through a stage of degradation and was recently restored. More than 5 decades later, the renewed building was inaugurated again in 2006. Batalha is now provided with two theatres, two bars, several foyers and a renewed terrace on the top floor with a view to the city. The venue is thus prepared for several different types of events.

Artur Andrade was also de author of many other works, such as the Café Rialto, in which three fine artists cooperated with him - the painters Dordio Gomes, Guilherme Camarinha and the medical doctor and artist Abel Salazar. These artists participated in the work with murals, and the sculptor João Fragoso provided a bas relief, which was suppressed when the cafe was transformed into a bank. Other works include: the building in number 500 of Rua Delfim Ferreira and the FIAT building in Rua Latino Coelho, in Porto; the São Tiago Inn, in Entre-os-Rios; a plant in Santo Tirso; some works in Vila Real; and the building in number 718 of Rua Hintze Ribeiro, in Leça da Palmeira, where the architect moved in later in his life, as he strongly appreciated the beach.

Over his career as an architect, he also stood out as one of the people responsible for introducing Modernism and as a member of the ODAM (Organização dos Arquitectos Modernos, the Modern Architects Organization).
Artur Andrade was not just a great architect. He was also a politically active citizen, who dreamt of creating a fair society.
He followed the discussions of António Sérgio and Jaime Cortesão, and adhered to the communist ideals early in his life (to abandon them later, when the Russian dictatorship was established in the former USSR).

During his youth and his adulthood he was arrested nine times by the PIDE. He participated actively in the MUD (Movimento de Unidade Democrática), and encouraged Humberto Delgado to run for the Presidential election in 1958. He was the Secretary General of Humberto Delgado's candidacy. He ran for the opposition in every election that took place prior to 25th April 1974.

He enrolled in the PPD (Partido Popular Democrático) upon the request of Sá Carneiro and Magalhães Mota, in 1974. From then on, he integrated the admission committees to the party, in Porto and Lisbon, as well as the propaganda committees.
During the period that followed the 25th April 1974, he was the first president of the Executive Committee of the Porto City Hall and the Councillor for Urbanism, elected on behalf of the PSD (Partido Social Democrata). In 1989 he ran for Mayor of the Porto City Hall, supported by the PRD (Partido Renovador Democrático), the party of Ramalho Eanes, but he was defeated by Fernando Gomes, running for the Socialist Party.

On 9th November 2005, a free, determined and understanding man died.
(Universidade Digital / Gestão de Informação, 2008)