Siza was born in Matosinhos, a small coastal town near Porto. He graduated in architecture in 1955, at the former School of Fine Arts of the University of Porto, the current FAUP – Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto. He completed his first built work (four houses in Matosinhos) even before ending his studies in 1954, the same year that he first opened his private practice in Porto. Siza Vieira taught at the school from 1966 to 1969, returning in 1976. In addition to his teaching there, he has been a visiting professor at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University; the University of Pennsylvania; Los Andes University of Bogota; and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

Since its origins in the 1970’s, BD has always been an atypical company. Its founders and still current owners, who come from an architectural background rather than the business field, have oriented BD’s production from the very start by cultivating beauty, in some cases above their function. Accompanied with artisanal processes instead of mass production, the new products always have more proximity to art than industrial design. Characterised by superior quality, short-series productions (and on occasion limited editions), and unique pieces due to crafted manufacturing. In the 80’s, BD pleasantly surprised by editing Gaudí’s furniture for his famous buildings and in the early 90’s, BD again astounded by introducing an exclusive first collection of furniture and lamps designed by Dalí. Recently the Collections and Designers with an accentuated artistic profile like Jaime Hayon and Doshi Levien, continue to point the way where design and art meet together.