February 10–11, 2023
Having explored the dynamic conditions, complexities, and perspectives of ecology in the first gathering, the second conference “Ephemeral Architecture” (Feb. 10–11, 2023) will bring into focus the ways in which distinct peoples, regions, and states used their local ecology to design, shape, and transform their built environments–often in the face of threats from imperial states. By shining a critical light on the fascinating but fleeting (and often overlooked) ephemeral architecture, in particular, thatch roofs, we will begin to see how ecologies and architectures became deeply entangled, such as in the form of technological, cultural, and environmental knowledge as well as artistic innovation. Scholars from multiple disciplines along with builders will come together to share and discuss a strikingly diverse and dynamic corpus from across the Americas and West Africa. These scholars will explore these “forgotten canopies” in all their material complexities, including the larger structures (built of out of wood, adobe, wattle and daub, brick, and stone), spaces (single, multi-room, rectangular, round, etc.), functions (political, religious, and domestic) and environments (tropical island, dry deserts, highland mountain, etc., as well as urban and rural landscapes) of which they were a part.
Program Schedule
Friday, Feb. 10, 2022: Clark Library
9:30 a.m. Morning Coffee and Registration
10:00 a.m. Bronwen Wilson, University of California, Los Angeles
Welcome
Stella Nair and Paul Niell, University of California, Los Angeles/ Florida State University
Opening Remarks
10:15 a.m. Session 1: Ephemeral Materialities
Moderator: Kenneth Briesch, University of Southern California
Brenner Billy, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Shannon Speed, University of California, Los Angeles
Discussion/Interview Title: “Building a Chukka House: a Conversation with Brenner Billy”
10:45 a.m. Louis Nelson, University of Virginia
“The Jamaica Board House”
11:15 a.m. Coffee Break
11:30 pm Brendan Weaver, University of North Carolina, Wilmington
“Weaving Architecture: Afro-Andean Slavery, Water Management, and Reed Mats as Structural Elements at the Colonial Haciendas of Nasca, Peru”
12:00 p.m. Morning Session Discussion (Q and A)
12:45 pm LUNCH
2:00 p.m. Session 2: Temporal Ephemeralities
Moderator: Zirwat Chowdhury, University of California, Los Angeles
Mark Dike DeLancey, DePaul University
“Expressing Status: Permanence and Impermanence in the Architecture of Northern Cameroon”
2:30 p.m. Santiago Giraldo, Global Heritage Fund
“Remnants, Bygones, and Impermanence in the Tairona Architecture of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Colombia”
3:00 p.m. Coffee break:
3:15 p.m. Denise Y. Arnold, University College London
“From Mud and Stone minarets to New Guardian Mountains: Transformations of a ‘pueblo de Indios’ by a Colonial Andean Ayllu”
3:45 p.m. Afternoon Session Discussion (Q and A)
4:30 p.m. Reception
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2022: Clark Library
9:30 a.m. Morning Coffee and Registration
10:00 a.m. Bronwen Wilson, University of California, Los Angeles
Welcome
Stella Nair and Paul Niell, University of California, Los Angeles/ Florida State University
Welcome (Back)
10:15 a.m. Session 3 The Making of Ephemeralities
Moderator: Michael Osman, University of California, Los Angeles
Kenneth G. Kelly, Syracuse University and University of Southern California,
“Creating Kaz Kreole: A Multisited Archaeology of Ephemeral Architecture in Diverse Caribbean Contexts”
10: 45 a.m. David Sadighian, Ahmanson-Getty Fellow
“Rebuilding Palmares: Fugitive Architecture and its Afterlives”
11:15 a.m. Coffee Break
11:30 a.m. Jorge Baracutei Estevez, Higuayagua: Taíno of the Caribbean
“Return of the Bohio: Continuing Caribbean Indigeneity”
12:00 p.m Morning Session Discussion:
12:45. p.m. End of Conference
[PT]
Tendo explorado as condições dinâmicas, complexidades e perspectivas da ecologia na primeira reunião, a segunda conferência “Arquitetura Efêmera” (10 e 11 de fevereiro de 2023) colocará em foco as maneiras através das quais povos, regiões e estados distintos utilizavam sua ecologia local para projetar, moldar e transformar os seus ambientes construídos – frequentemente diante de ameaças provindas de estados imperiais. Ao trazer uma luz crítica sob a fascinante mas fugaz (e frequentemente negligenciada) arquitetura efêmera, em particular, os telhados de colmo, começaremos a ver como as ecologias e arquiteturas tornaram-se profundamente entrelaçadas, como na forma de conhecimento tecnológico, cultural e ambiental e também na inovação artística. Estudiosos de diversas disciplinas juntamente com construtores irão se reunir para compartilhar e discutir uma coletânea surpreendentemente diversificada e dinâmica das Américas e da África Ocidental. Estes estudiosos irão explorar esses “dosséis esquecidos” em todas as suas complexidades materiais, incluindo suas estruturas maiores (construídas de madeira, adobe (tijolo de lama seca/ tijolo de adobe), pau a pique, tijolo e pedra), espaços (simples, com vários cômodos, retangulares, redondos, etc.), funções (política, religiosa e doméstica) e ambientes (ilha tropical, desertos secos, montanhas, etc., assim como paisagens urbanas e rurais) dos quais fizeram parte.
Translated to Portuguese by Júlia Acerbi (Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil)
[ES]
Habiendo explorado el dinamismo, complejidades, y diferentes perspectivas sobre la ecología en la primera reunión, la segunda conferencia, titulada “Arquitectura Efímera” (a celebrarse los días 10 y 11 de febrero de 2023), se centrará en las maneras en las que distintos pueblos y regiones usaron su ecología local para diseñar, dar forma, y transformar sus entornos, en numerosas ocasiones como forma de resistencia a las amenazas de estados imperiales. Arrojando luz sobre la fascinante pero pasajera (y a menudo pasada por alto) arquitectura efímera, en particular los techos de paja, observaremos cómo la ecología y la arquitectura están profundamente entrelazadas tanto en el conocimiento tecnológico, cultural y medioambiental requerido, así como en la innovación artística a la que pueden dar lugar. Esta conferencia reunirá a académicos con distintas especializaciones disciplinarias junto a constructores para tratar un corpus arquitectónico diverso y dinámico que cubrirá todo el continente americano y África occidental. Estos ponentes explorarán estas “cubiertas olvidadas” en toda su complejidad material, incluyendo las grandes estructuras (construidas con madera, adobe, quincha, ladrillo y piedra), los espacios (individuales, con varias habitaciones, rectangulares, circulares, etc.), funciones (política, religiosa y doméstica) y entornos (islas tropicales, áridos desiertos, la alta montaña, etc., así como paisajes urbanos y rurales) de los que formaban parte.
Translated to Spanish by Alba Menéndez Pereda (University of California, Los Angeles)
[FR]
Après avoir examiné les conditions dynamiques, complexités et perspectives de l’écologie lors de notre première rencontre, la deuxième conférence “Architecture éphémère” (10-11 février 2023) mettra l’accent sur la manière dont différents peuples, régions et pays ont tiré parti de leur écologie locale pour concevoir, façonner et transformer leur environnement bâti, souvent face à la menace d’États impérialistes. En jetant un regard critique sur l’architecture éphémère, fascinante mais passagère (et souvent négligée), et notamment sur les toits de chaume, nous pourrons analyser la façon dont écologies et architectures se sont entrelacées, donnant ainsi naissance à des connaissances technologiques, culturelles et environnementales spécifiques et à des innovations artistiques. Des chercheur·se·s de plusieurs disciplines ainsi que des bâtisseur·se·s se réuniront pour partager et échanger autour d’un corpus divers et nuancé, s’étendant des Amériques à l’Afrique de l’Ouest. Ces chercheur·se·s exploreront différents “baldaquins oubliés” [forgotten canopies] dans toute leur complexité matérielle. Lors de cette conférence, ils et elles étudieront les structures que ces toits couronnaient (faites de bois, adobe, brique ou pierre), les espaces qu’ils recouvraient (composés d’une ou plusieurs pièces, rectangulaires, circulaires, etc.), les fonctions que ceux-ci remplissaient (politique, religieuse ou domestique) et les environnements dont ces structures dépendaient (îles tropicales, déserts arides, hautes montagnes, etc. ainsi que les paysages urbains et ruraux).
Translated to French by Louise Deglin (University of California, Los Angeles)
