The Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura was born in 1952 in Porto. During his architectural studies he had the good fortune to work for Alvaro Siza, and in 1980 he opened his own office in Porto. Today Souto de Moura, with his purist yet atmospheric structures is one of the most well-known architects on the Iberian peninsula. "I began practically at the very beginning and concentrated on the essence of architecture. The most fundamental element is naturally the wall." Souto de Moura succeeded in combining Portugal's strong tradition of stone masonry with abstract modern forms, creating an architecture of compelling beauty. Werner Blaser conveys through wonderfully expressive photography the elemental and timeless nature of Souto de Moura's buildings focussing in particular on his use of stone as a building material.