El ‘Moderno Tropical’ en Mozambique. La construcción de un paisaje a través del clima

Abstract

The Modern Movement historiography has tended to neglect the architectural works developed in the African continent, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, giving us a partial picture of a much broader frame. In this context, the distinctive feature of the Mozambican modern architecture (1948-1975) was its ability to respond to the specificities of the environment in which it operates by crossing the principles of the International Style with the constructive solutions of the local cultures, along with the Brazilian experience. . From this point of view, the excellence of this heritage lies, precisely, in this quest for a sustainable design, intrinsically linked to the place and the tropical climate.

In order to contribute on the understanding and consolidation of knowledge about the Modern Movement in lusophone Africa, and especially in Mozambique, the present dissertation attempts to build a small narrative of this architecture, taking as guiding thread the climate issue, through a series of projects, that in some way influenced the definition of its language, and their paths in the landscape of the country.

Based on a cross reading of the urban and architectural evolution in the Mozambican territory, along with a systematic analysis of four case studies in the city of Quelimane, this research work aims to contribute on the characterization of the vocabulary used and developed in this period from the perspective of what grants it its uniqueness. In this way we will try as well to demonstrate and prove the validity of the solutions adopted in that period in accordance with what we call today sustainable development.