Design Lab 3 - City & Heritage
Formative Unit: FU 17
Title: Analysis of tangible and intangible heritage
SYLLABUS
The course is geared to the reflection around a few main topics evoked by the concepts of “heritage”,
“tangible” and “intangible”. Most classes will have visual presentations of examples illustrating
interpretations of these concepts. There will also be two visits to areas of Lisbon relating to the
inscription of Fado in UNESCO’s list of Intangible Heritage.
The questions raised by these examples will trigger debates, oriented by the teacher and where he can
introduce further theoretical information. This will also provide the students with material for their
assessment presentations, resulting from their own research on the themes arising from the debates.
The lectures theoretical framework stands on three points: 1. Why the concern; 2. Naming the concern;
3. Assessing the concern. Thus commentaries range from a critical historical view to practical aspects
such as the coherence between building with traditional methods and the ways of living that made
them remarkable nowadays; or the gentrification of places and the implications in terms of community
values; or the recognition of age-long empiric knowledge as an alternative to be stimulated in the
context of the societies that have it.
A tentative calendar, based on the visual material to be presented is as follows:
Nr. of
hours
2
Topic
Slide presentation (*)
3
Building as identity
Yemen
3
Restoration of buildings and rehabilitation of ways of life
Djénné
Timbuctu
3
Exogenous ‘adequate architecture’ solutions for local needs
Architecture as a catalyst of social improvement
3
The destruction and reinvention of heritage
Herbalists’ markets, Bamako
Central Market Koudougou
Primary School in Gando
Dubai
Saudi Arabia
3
Students’ presentations. Debate
3
3
Classified ‘untangible heritage’ in Portugal: Fado and the
places of fado
Visit to Mouraria
Visit to Alfama and Downtown
2
Final students’ presentations and debate.
Presentation of the course’s content and methods of
assessment.
Revision of concepts.
Students’ and teacher’s
material
Students’ material
(*) Except for Dubai and Saudi Arabia, the examples presented are either part of the UNESCO lists or
awardees of the Aga Khan Award of Architecture, in a similar context.
ASSESSMENT
Students are graded by their attendance and participation in the classes and by the quality of two
mandatory presentations reflecting their research and reflection on the topics presented.
ASSESSMENT MATERIALS
Two mandatory oral presentations illustrated by projected images (duration about 15 minutes)
accompanied by a printed copy.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Akerman, Kristina, et al (2001) ‘Terra Europae’. Edizioni ETS. Pisa, ISBN 9788846729576
Antunes, Alfredo da Mata, et al (4th Ed. 2004) ‘Arquitectura Popular em Portugal’. Ordem dos
Arquitectos. Lisboa, ISBN 9789729766879
Mostavafi, Mohsen (2011) ‘Implicate and Explicate’. Lars Muller Publishers. Baden. ISBN
9783037782422
Roca, Zoran et al. (2011) ‘Landscapes, Identities and Development’. Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Farnham,
ISBN 9781409405542
Varanda, Fernando (2nd Ed. 2009) ‘Art of Building in Yemen’, Argumentum. Lisboa. ISBN 9789728479664