César Portela

**César Portela Fernández-Jardón**, born in Pontevedra on April 18, 1937, is a Galician architect.

## Trajectory

Portela studied architecture at the School of Architecture in Madrid and Barcelona. In 1966 he obtained his license to practice architecture and in 1968 his doctorate.

He has taught as a visiting professor at universities around the world, including the University of Architecture in Pamplona and universities in Nancy, Caracas, Lisbon and Weimar.

He took part in various architectural workshops and seminars. Among other things, he led the 1974 working group in Santiago de Compostela together with Aldo Rossi;

He also took part in the international architecture workshops in Naples, Belfort and Caracas as well as in the IV Architecture Biennale in Santander. More recently, he took part in the _Seminario sobre Cultura y Naturaleza: Arquitectura y Paisaje_, organized by Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo on the island of San Simón in Vigo Bay.

Most recently, he worked in the chair of architectural projects at the Technical College in A Coruña.

## Works

- Faculty of Fine Arts of Pontevedra  (Pontevedra, 1990).
- Special plan of Allariz (1991-1997).
- Rehabilitation of San Simón Island (1992-2003).
- Leather Museum 'Fábrica de Curtidos Family Nogueiras'  (Allariz, 1993).
- Pousada Torre Lombarda  (Allariz, 1994).
- Domus - Casa do Home ( A Coruña, 1995, together with Arata Isozaki ).
- Lighthouse of Punta Nariga ( Malpica de Bergantiños, 1995 ).
- Bahia de Cádiz Natural Park (2002-2002). With Antonio Barrionuevo and Julia Molino.
- Fisterra Cemetery ( Fisterra, 2002 ).
- Museum of the Sea of Galicia ( Vigo, 2002, together with Aldo Rossi ).
- Córdoba Bus Station ( Córdoba, 1999 ), National Architecture Award of Spain .
- Verbum - House of words, Vigo ( 2003 ).
- Municipal Auditorium of Vilagarcía de Arousa ( 2003 ).
- Rehabilitation of the Fraga Cine Theater ( Vigo, in the process of rehabilitation since 2007).
- Palace of Congresses of A Coruña ( A Coruña, 2003, together with Ricardo Bofill ).
- Astronomical Observatory of Cotobade ( Carballedo, Cerdedo-Cotobade, 2009, with Magdalena Portela ).
- Rehabilitation of the Baión Palace (2009-2010).
- Cabo Fisterra master plan (2009-2010).
- Burgas Thermal Pool ( Ourense, 2010 ).
- Auditorium Pazo de Congresos Mar de Vigo ( 2011 ).
- Museum of Natural History, Santiago de Compostela (2021).
- Library and Auditorium, Seville (2011).
- Expansion of Vigo Airport - Peinador ( Vigo, 2014).
- Lookout tower in Caracas (in progress).
- A Coruña intermodal station (in process).
- Performances in Xunqueira de Ambía (in process).

## Awards

César Portela has won a number of international prizes and awards, including the Galicia Award for Architecture and the National Architecture Award of Spain for the bus station in Córdoba.

- 1981: National Urban Planning Award. Intervention plan in Pazo de Oca and surroundings. General Directorate of Urbanism. MOPU.
- 1989: Galicia Award for Architecture.
- 1994: European urban and regional planning award. European Commission/European Council of Town Planners. Recovery of the banks of the Arnoia river, Allariz.
- 1997: Pedrón de Ouro Award from the Rosalía de Castro Trust.
- 2000: National Award for Spanish Architecture. Córdoba Bus Station. City of Pontevedra Award from the Council of Pontevedra. Pontus Veteris Award of the College of Architects of Galicia, Delegation of Pontevedra.
- 2002: Philippe Rotthier European Prize. Fisterra Cemetery, A Coruña
- 2005: Philippe Rotthier European Prize. Museum of the Sea, Vigo.
- 2021: Award for professional career in the 19th edition of the Awards of the College of Architects of Galicia.
- 2023: Gold Medal of Spanish architects.

## Infobox (architect)

- **name**: César Portela
- **birth place**: Pontevedra, Galicia
- **significant buildings**: 'Casa do Home' in A Coruña
- **significant projects**: urban plans in Allariz and Santiago de Compostela
- **nationality**: Galician, Spanish people, Spanish