‘Architecture Seen From Below: a reader’
Texts in this collection of Ferro’s essays and shorter writings cover the full range of his unique analysis of labour and production in architecture and fine art. The essays are selected to appeal to a wide set of readers, not only from the different disciplines represented--art, architecture, political economy, sociology, philosophy-- but also to practitioners, students, activists and readers looking to understand the contemporary crisis and exploitation in the production of the built environment. They explore how design plays a central role and to those seeking alternative possibilities.
These chapters, as they are translated, will be debated in regular monthly reading groups we are holding through 2021 in English and Portuguese with the project team and affiliated researchers, resulting in a symposium in early 2022 and journal special issue.
Ferro’s work provides the basis in the project for debates about the methods and topics of Production Studies (PS) and for the development of dissemination activities across the 4 year period of the TF/TK Project.
Table of Contents:
The prospect of architecture as an art [Editors] \Dessin/ Chantier: an introduction*
Detailed historical analyses of art and architecture from the perspective of labour.
Michelangelo’s practice as an architect in contrast to his practice as a sculptor
The ‘Introduction to Dessin/Chantier’ outlines his theory of architectural design and labour under capitalism- using Marxist and Hegelian analysis to expose how architectural design techniques transform building construction into capitalist production.
History of architecture seen from the building site
An accessible overview of architecture ‘from the construction of site’ starting with the Gothic period through to contemporary Dubai.
Concrete as weapon
The turn to reinforced concrete in the early 20th century France as a response to the power of labour movements.
Imaginary relation, central perspective, non finito
Brasília, Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer
Reflexions for a politics of architecture
‘Reflexions for a politics of architecture’, is a call for action written in 1972, when Ferro just escaped Brazilian military dictatorship and began to teach at the University of Grenoble, and ‘Issues of method’ outlines a programme of critical research and pedagogy he established there.
Issues of method