Congress Venue

Congress Venue | How to get there |

The Symmetry Art and Science: 12th Symmetry Congress will take place in the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto, Portugal (FAUP). The Congress Program is available here. Apart from the activities of the Social Program, all the Sessions will take place at Auditório Fernando Távora in FAUP.

Congress Venue

Originating from the 18th century, the University of Porto (UP) is one of Portugal’s most relevant education and research institutions. It welcomes nearly 31,000 students, 2,300 teachers and researchers, and 1,700 administrative staff in its 15 schools and 69 scientific research units. UP spreads out over three campuses in Porto, the second most important Portuguese city, whose Historical Center was classified as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

The Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (FAUP) is one of the most prestigious Portuguese and European institutions on education, research, and innovation in Architecture and stands in a privileged location near the Douro River on the country’s northern coast.

The building complex that houses FAUP is one of the most emblematic creations of Álvaro Siza Vieira, who was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1992 and is an Emeritus Professor in this institution. The buildings, designed and built between 1985 and 1993 at Polo III (Campo Alegre), host several studios, classrooms, auditoriums, an exhibition gallery, a documentation center and library, administrative offices, a bookshop, and a bar. FAUP offers high-quality education in scientific areas such as architecture and urban studies, going beyond the basic and core formation of the master’s degree in architecture (MIArq) by presenting a wide range of post-graduate programs in Architectural Design and Heritage and a Ph.D. Program in Architecture.

The Center for Studies in Architecture and Urbanism (CEAU) manages all the research activities in FAUP within several research groups. It aims to stimulate a productive academic environment that, combining tradition and innovation, develops education and research in architecture and urbanism to the realities and challenges of the 21st century.

(Adapted from here and here)

FAUP in ArchDaily and wikiarchitectura

FAUP, Álvaro Siza © Luis Ferreira Alves / FAUP

How to get there

Arriving in Porto by PLANE:

  • Take Porto’s subway (Metro do Porto) from Aeroporto to Casa da Música station. The last destination of your subway should be Trindade.

Arriving in Porto by TRAIN:

  • Make sure to exit at the Porto Campanhã train station and take the subway (Metro do Porto) from Campanhã metro station (any of the available lines) to Casa da Música station. The destination of your subway should be any of the following: Senhor de Matosinhos, Senhora da Hora, Aeroporto, Póvoa de Varzim, or ISMAI.

Arriving in Porto by CAR:

  • If arriving from the north on Highway A3, you should head to Highway VCI (Via de Cintura Interna) and, once there, take the exit to Campo Alegre and head to the first exit on your right. You will find the Faculty of Architecture on the right side of this road (Via Panorâmica).
  •  If arriving from the south on Highway A1, you should head to Highway VCI (Via de Cintura Interna). Once you cross Arrábida’s bridge, take the exit to Campo Alegre and head to the first street on your right. You will find the Faculty of Architecture on the right side of this road (Via Panorâmica).

Arriving in Porto by Expresso or Long-distance BUS at Terminal Rodoviário Campo 24 de Agosto:

  • Catch the subway (Metro do Porto) at Campo 24 de Agosto metro station and head to Casa da Música metro station. The destination of your subway may be any of the following: Senhor de Matosinhos, Senhora da Hora, Póvoa de Varzim, or ISMAI.

From the city centre (Avenida dos Aliados or Praça da Liberdade) to FAUP:

  • You may walk from Avenida dos Aliados until the bus station Praça D. João I and take the bus line 200 (timetable here) or 207 (here), any of which will take you to the bus stop Planetário. From there, search for Via Panorâmica.
  •  Alternatively, from Avenida dos Aliados, you may walk to the Trindade metro station and catch the Casa da Música metro station subway. The destination of your subway may be any of the following: Senhor de Matosinhos, Senhora da Hora, Aeroporto, Póvoa de Varzim, or ISMAI.

From Casa da Música metro station to FAUP (the image below links you to GoogleMaps)

Once at Casa da Música metro station, you can easily walk to Boavista’s roundabout (Rotunda da Boavista) and head to the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto. The walk from this metro station should take you around 21 minutes.

You may also catch bus number 204 at Casa da Música bus station until Planetário’s bus station. The bus should have the destination “Foz” (timetable in this link).

Useful Links: