Raise their voices: Rethinking the architect’s role in a colonial context such as mayotte through education and anti-racism
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Författare
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
It is nowadays essential for an architect to
make her practice evolve since the society and
its challenges are changing. It requires new
radical approaches to answer issues that are no
longer tolerable in the lives of people. For that,
a critical architect needs to analyse, dismantle
and propose new ways of working.
As a legacy of the global expansion,
territories are embedded in the colonization/
decolonization process. For that reason, the
objective of this thesis is to look at the impact
architects and architecture can have to support
the decolonization process by rethinking the
role of architects and architecture in the current
society. It aims to explore how architects can
raise awareness of the communities, towards
the built environment as well as raising the
voices of those who have been omitted in the
architectural debate. That way, people will be
able to engage and take responsibility for the
context they live in.
Therefore, the main research question of this
thesis is:
“HOW CAN ARCHITECTS REDEFINE THEIR
ROLE TO BECOME SUPPORTERS IN THE
DECOLONIZATION PROCESS AND ACT IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF AN ANTI-RACIST SOCIETY?”
KEY WORDS:
architecture; education; community; anti-racism; critical and dialogical pedagogy; methods;
participation; diversity; inclusivity; community; sharing; collaboration
This thesis’ research was based on two different
focuses. The first one was to determine a strategy
to guide the research development. This strategy
was designed to debunk bias in order to avoid
racism in the creation process. With the help of
inspiring literature, this strategy is made out of
four steps: [unlearn], [relearn], [reflect], [apply].
It has been used at a personal level to analyse
several grounding concepts but also in the field
study with the stakeholders.
The second focus was a field study interaction.
After several detours due to the reality of the
field, the study case was about experimenting
ways for the stakeholders to grasp their
surrounding environment and restore their
right to act towards it. For that, I have designed
tools and workshops to encourage dialogue,
which is the first fundamental step to conceive
an inclusive built environment. The study case
took place with teenagers in Mayotte an island
in the Indian Ocean, torn between the states of
Comoros and France.
Three different influences, among others, have
inspired the research: the work of Wai Think
Tank, Paolo Freire and Achille Mbembe.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
architecture, education, community, anti-racism, critical and dialogical pedagogy, methods, participation, diversity, inclusivity, community, sharing, collaboration