The Dynamics of a global Architectural Idiom: Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century ‘Portuguese Style’ Houses, from Brazil to West Africa to India
Peter Mark | Wesleyan University
18 fevereiro, 18h
Sala 0.06, edifício I&D (piso 0) / NOVA FCSH
Entrada livre
Portugal’s sixteenth-century global expansion is reflected in a distinctive, hybrid material culture. Among the most salient aspects of this hybridization is the architectural idiom that quickly came to be known as “Portuguese style” houses. Ideally adapted to a tropical or sub-tropical environment, this architecture was characterized by whitewashed exterior walls, by the incorporation of a verandah or porch, and in some instances by a small turret or tower. “Portuguese style” buildings brought together elements from vernacular architecture in Portugal, from house construction techniques in West Africa, and from building forms from Goa (or India). The style spread with the Portuguese commercial globalization to Brazil and through the Indian Ocean. Of particular interest is the dynamic process whereby certain architectural elements were retained or selected from the diverse cultures that contributed to this hybrid material culture.