From geopolitical conflicts to schools of architecture

From the closure of the Bauhaus under the Nazi regime to the evacuation of Soviet schools during the Second World War, from clandestine teaching and repurposed spaces in besieged Sarajevo to current pedagogical reconfigurations in Ukraine, Palestine or Lebanon, situations of conflict put institutions, their spaces and their practices to the test. They can also give rise to new narratives, new methods and new ways of conceiving the architect’s role.

How can we continue to teach architecture when learning spaces are destroyed, inaccessible or displaced? How do the content and references taught evolve in the face of the reality of war? And what might the school of architecture then become: a space for educational continuity, resistance and experimentation?

Bringing together researchers, architects and lecturers from several countries, this conference, organised by Stéphanie Dadour and Mazen Haïdar, aims to bring together historical and contemporary experiences around three key issues: reconstruction, by examining the links between architectural projects, reconstruction and territories in crisis ; redefining content, bringing to the fore new narratives and new approaches to architecture, and reconfiguring teaching methods when normal teaching conditions become impossible.

The day will open with a keynote lecture by Amra Hadžimuhamedović of the HIDR-Centre for Peace and Heritage, focusing on the Bosnian case and the relationships between knowledge, heritage and epistemic violence.

From Sarajevo to Gaza, from Iraq to Armenia, from Kharkiv to Vichy France, the collected contributions bring together very different historical and contemporary situations to examine the impact of conflicts on schools of architecture — but also what these institutions can produce, transmit and invent in contexts of crisis.

Conference organised by Stéphanie Dadour and Mazen Haïdar – ENSA Paris Malaquais, with a scientific committee comprising Stéphanie Dadour, Elisabeth Essaïan, Mazen Haïdar, Bijan Rouhani and Léa-Catherine Szacka.

The screenings, talks and round-table discussions organised at the Cité as part of the ‘Patrimoines en résistance’ exhibition aim to encourage dialogue and a diversity of viewpoints. The opinions expressed on these occasions are those of the speakers alone and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of the Cité or its partners.