FOUNDATION LIVRARIA LELLO
Foundation Livraria Lello announces the opening of the newly requalified Monastery of Leça do Balio, its headquarters and a multipurpose nucleus open to the community. Acquired in 2016 by the Lionesa Group, the Monastery features an extension designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect, Álvaro Siza. Foundation Livraria Lello will inaugurate the Monastery with a robust public program, including "Act the Thought", an exhibition dedicated to the theme of misinformation and its human costs, highlighting the stories of personalities such as Salman Rushdie, Malala Yousafzai, and Ai Wei Wei along with an installation created through JR’s global art project, Inside Out. The exhibitions will be open to the public from June 22 to December 31, 2024.
In response to the growing concern about misinformation, identified by the World Economic Forum as the greatest threat of 2024, Foundation Livraria Lello opens the doors of the Leça do Balio Monastery with the exhibition "Act The Thought." The exhibition symbolizes the Foundation's approach to the complexity of truth, acknowledging the multiple shades it can take on. By promoting information and digital literacy, Foundation Livraria Lello reaffirms its commitment to the pursuit of truth and the promotion of an informed and critical society.
On June 15th, outside of Lello Bookstore in Porto’s city center, the Inside Out mobile photo booth will capture the faces of community members, promoting an artistic manifesto against the rise of misinformation. The photographs will be exhibited at the Monastery in a large-scale photographic intervention starting June 22nd. Portuguese artist Diana Policarpo’s sound installation invites the public to immerse themselves in deep reflections on the phenomenon of misinformation. In combination with “Act the Thought” and Siza’s serene tribute to the Monastery’s history, Foundation Livraria Lello rounds out a program that encourages critical reflection among all who visit.
A National Monument, the Monastery of Leça do Balio dates to the Roman period. Álvaro Siza’s project, in tandem with landscape architect Sidónio Pardal, promotes a dialogue between the storied past and a forward-looking vision that seeks to preserve and enhance its cultural and spiritual significance. Siza’s new, open-air landmark spans 4,305 square feet and is crafted in white concrete. The towers that articulate the structure stand 40 feet and 46 feet tall, and the interior and exterior sidewalks are constructed of permeable, stabilized gravel. Siza’s
free-standing sculpture, “Wayfarer,” stands 6 feet tall and anchors the structure to act as a poetic tribute to the pilgrim’s inner journey and physical passage along the nearby Camino de Santiago. As a result, the additional space offers a serene retreat for visitors to reflect on the Monastery’s exhibitions. Outdoors, the gardens of the campus will be inaugurated in 2025 and have been maintained by Sidónio Pardal and integrated into the landscape with new pathways.
The requalification of the Monastery of Leça do Balio and the addition by Álvaro Siza represent a fusion of history, architecture, and landscape, while also paying tribute to the roots of the Monastery as an important structure along the Camino de Santiago. The integration with Lionesa Business Hub, a business center with 7,000 employees from over 50 nationalities, underscores a unique blend of tradition and modernity, fostering a creative environment for employees and visitors alike. Drawing inspiration from the literary legacy of the eponymous bookstore, Livraria Lello, the Foundation advocates for reading as a transformative tool. Livraria Lello Foundation is a cultural entity dedicated to promoting access to books and knowledge, amplifying critical thinking, and empowering the relationship with territories and heritage.
The Monastery of Leça de Balio is open to the public from June 22.
