Conferência de Abertura

I Congresso Internacional Colonial and Postcolonial Landscapes Architecture, Cities, Infrastructures

COUNTERING THE TABULA RASA

ARCH. HELDER PEREIRA

ATELIER MULEMBA

16 de Janeiro | Auditorium 2 | 19h00

Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian

Open to public

The systemic problems present in Angolan built environment(s) today reflect historical processes and the continuation of certain aspects of late-colonial ideology by post-colonial actors in the period following independence and the civil war. This presentation seeks to provide a critical reflection on this history, challenging assumptions commonly held by the public, practitioners and policy makers alike, and problematising certain narratives that are frequently present in the discussion of architecture in Angola. Beginning with the erasure of the pre-colonial and the birth of an extractive economy, continuing through to modernist era ‘nation building’ and the post civil war construction boom, we aim to politicise that which is often presented as ‘neutral’ or ‘objective’. In doing so, we hope to identify the opportunities that are in front of us when looking into an uncertain future, and outline philosophical considerations for contemporary and future designers, architects, engineers, urban planners and other construction industry professionals, whether practitioners, educators, or working within governmental organisations), along with policy makers.