Aprender a Desaprender

This book was born out of the intention to speculate on possible answers to a few questions: How can the disciplinary field of architecture offer approaches for the decolonisation of the present? What methods can we employ to position architecture within the debate on decolonisation? And, thinking of a transformative pedagogy, how can we reimagine institutions linked to architecture, and their modes of action?

The dialogues on the decolonisation of architecture brought together in the book address the theme through concrete practices and actions. Among the issues discussed by architects, artists, critics, authors and thinkers, several stand out: the role of diasporas in history, seeking to rewrite emancipatory narratives about the relationship between colonised and coloniser; the scales of action in spatial practices; personal stories; and pedagogical commentaries.

These contributions openly challenge colonial legacies, along with the difficulties and risks that come with doing so. The aim is to expand the scope of architecture as a discipline, even when there is no certainty or convergence of ideas about its tools. The path is not linear, but looking “in reverse” and breaking dominant discourses may serve as a strong starting point.