Docomomo Portugal

Docomomo Portugal is the Portuguese working party of Docomomo International. It aims to foster the documentation, conservation and reuse of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the Modern Movement in Portugal according to Docomomo International’s mission.
The territorial scope of its activities will be in Portugal, however, it will extend to work carried out within the Iberian countries, as well as in with Docomomo International.

It aims to:

  • Bring the significance of the architecture and urbanism of the Modern Movement in Portugal to the attention of the public, the authorities, the professionals and the educational community.
  • Identify and promote the surveying of the works of the Modern Movement in Portugal, including drawings, photos, archives and other documents.
  • Promote the conservation and (re)use of buildings and sites of the Modern Movement, and spread the knowledge among professionals.
  • Oppose destruction and disfigurement of significant works.
  • Promote research into archival funds, aiming the documentation, conservation and rehabilitation of works from the Modern Movement in Portugal
  • Develop knowledge on Modern Movement in Portugal, especially in relation to the action of international specialists committees.
  • Lead projects accepted by the Docomomo Portugal assembly of partners with national and international institutions, especially UNESCO, within the scope of the protection of architectural heritage, the Modern Movement, the transmission of knowledge related to this protection and the dissemination of knowledge of the Modern Movement among the public.
  • Explore and develop new ideas for the future of a sustainable built environment based on the past experiences of the Modern Movement.

Established in 2023, Docomomo Portugal’s headquarters are located at Instituto Superior Técnico – University of Lisbon.
It has as chair Ana Tostões, architect and architecture historian, Full Professor at  Instituto Superior Técnico, and former chair of Docomomo International (2010-2021), and secretary general Zara Ferreira, architect and PhD candidate, and former secretary general of Docomomo International (2014-2018),
The full team can be seen at: Team

 

Docomomo International

About

Docomomo International is a non-profit organization dedicated to documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the Modern Movement. Initiated in 1988 by Hubert-Jan Henket, architect and professor, and Wessel de Jonge, architect and research fellow, at the School of Architecture at the Technical University in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
In 2002, the Docomomo International secretariat relocated to Paris and was hosted by the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine in the Palais de Chaillot. The chair and secretary general were Maristella Casciato, architect and architectural historian and Émilie d’Orgeix, architectural historian, respectively, with Anne-Laure Guillet being director.
In January 2010, the Docomomo International secretariat relocated to Barcelona, hosted by the Fundacion Mies van der Rohe from 2010-2014. From 2014-2021 Docomomo International was hosted in Lisbon, at Instituto Superior Tecnico – Lisbon University with the financial support of the Municipality of Lisbon. The chair was Ana Tostões, architect and architecture historian, and Full Professor at  Instituto Superior Técnico. During this period Ivan Blasi (2010-2014), architect, and Zara Ferreira (2014-2018), architect and research fellow, served as Secretary General.
In January 2022, the Docomomo International secretariat relocated to Delft, hosted by the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). The chair is Uta Pottgiesser, architect and Full Professor, and Vice-Chair of Docomomo Germany. Secretary General is Wido Quist, architect and Assistant Professor, and chair of Docomomo Netherlands.
The official website is: www.docomomo.com/

Mission

In the last decades, the architectural heritage of the modern movement appeared more at risk than during any other period. This built inheritance glorifies the dynamic spirit of the Machine Age. At the end of the 1980s, many modern masterpieces had already been demolished or had changed beyond recognition. This was mainly due to the fact, that many were not considered to be elements of heritage, that their original functions have substantially changed and that their technological innovations have not always endured long-term stresses.

Docomomo International’s missions are to:

  • act as watchdog when important modern movement buildings anywhere are under threat
  • exchange ideas relating to conservation technology, history and education
  • foster interest in the ideas and heritage of the modern movement
  • elicit responsibility towards this recent architectural inheritance.

Since its creation, Docomomo International has experienced a rapid growth, establishing itself as a major player not only in the realm of conservation, but also in the broader field of architectural culture. The pluralist, interdisciplinary nature of Docomomo International, due to its ability to bring together historians, architects, town-planners, landscape architects, conservationists, teachers, students and public officials, has been a strong asset.

At present, Docomomo International includes 79 chapters and more than 3,000 members, in Europe, America, Asia, Oceania and Africa. In their variety of cultures and experiences, the chapters represent the true richness of Docomomo International.

Docomomo International has six International Specialist Committees (ISC) comprised of experts on Registers (ISC/R), Technology (ISC/T), Urbanism+Landscape (ISC/U+L), Education+Training (ISC/E+T), Interior Design (ISC/ID), Publications (ISC/P) working under Docomomo International’s supervision.

Constitution

Docomomo International’s Constitution was approved in Eindhoven on September 14, 1990. It was:
– Amended in Dessau, September 18, 1992 (see Newsletter 8, p.8)
– Amended by written vote, May 1, 1993 (see Journal 9, p.10-11)
– Amended in Barcelona, September 16, 1994 (see Journal 12, p.8-10)
– Approved in Sliac, September 20, 1999
– Amended in Delft, December 15, 2000
– Amended in Mexico City, August 26, 2010 (see Journal 43, p.88)
– Amended in Seoul, September 24, 2014 (see Journal 51, p. 89-91)
– Amended in Lisbon, September 8, 2016
– Amended in Ljubljana, August 30, 2018
– Amended in Valencia, September 8, 2022

docomomo Constitution

Eindhoven-Seoul Statement

Docomomo’s main goals are brought together in the Eindhoven Statement which was issued at the conclusion of the founding conference in 1990. It was updated in Seoul, 2014, where it was approved the Eindhoven-Seoul Statement:
Docomomo International is a non-profit organization dedicated to the documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the Modern Movement. It aims to:

  • Bring the significance of the architecture of the Modern Movement to the attention of the public, the authorities, the professionals and the educational community.
  • Identify and promote the surveying of the works of the Modern Movement.
  • Promote the conservation and (re)use of buildings and sites of the Modern Movement.
  • Oppose destruction and disfigurement of significant works.
  • Foster and disseminate the development of appropriate techniques and methods of conservation and adaptive (re)use.
  • Attract funding for documentation conservation and (re)use
  • Explore and develop new ideas for the future of a sustainable built environment based on the past experiences of the Modern Movement.

Tokyo – Valencia Manifesto on Education

Building on the Eindhoven-Seoul Statement from 2014, the Tokyo – Valencia Manifesto on Education formulates a vision on education and calls on members and Working Parties to take action to contribute to its educational mission.
Through this Manifesto, Docomomo promotes a discussion on better education for Modern Movement heritage, embracing its cultural, ethical, and social ideas and values that are still relevant in 21st century society.
The Manifesto formulates a vision on what should be the contents and aims for education and training on the subject. It is an open invitation to all levels of education and to all domains and disciplines related to Modern Movement heritage, to interpret its local implications, to elaborate on it and to implement it in education and training.
The Docomomo International Specialists Committee on Education and Training (ISC/E+T), together with a group of experts from different cultural backgrounds shaped the Manifesto’s 8 articles. Education for Modern Movement Heritage should aim to:

  • Document, conserve and re-use heritage that embodies the principles of the Modern Movement.
  • Document effective educational projects on conservation and maintain open access.
  • Provide comprehensive knowledge of all the processes connected with conservation.
  • Recognize and interpret the Modern Movement heritage in all its complexity.
  • Understand and practice preventive conservation.
  • Promote cultural sustainability alongside environmental and economic sustainability.
  • Bring interdisciplinarity and diversity into heritage conservation.
  • Advance the participation of heritage communities and the public.

Download the DOCOMOMO Manifesto on Education
More information at Docomomo International’s website here