This summer, students from the School of Architecture traveled to the Azores to study with Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor Ricardo Camacho at a program run by the University of Lisbon Institute, ISCTE. The program was overseen by Professor Monica Pacheco and included Master-Classes, studio sessions and field trips, led by lecturers and researchers from ISCTE-IUL, University of Azores (Portugal) and Northeastern University. Additionally, there were faculty guests from Dartmouth College, Kuwait University (Kuwait), University of Evora (Portugal) and University of Waterloo (Canada), with the support of local architectural offices. The final exhibition and presentation took place in the recently awarded (RIBA World and finalist of Mies Van Der Rohe Award) Archipelago Centre for Arts and Culture. Dignitaries from the local government were present as well as representatives from the national television and local press.

In the workshop, students considered housing for the workers for a deep-mining company. The workers are fishermen from the area of Ponta das Praias. Once the mining project is complete, the company will release the buildings to the local municipality which required the students to consider both current and future use. Some of the concerns for the students to address was transportation, privacy and security, as well as materials. Northeastern students Jon Levine, Simon Bearse, Lina Alaoui Douiri, Xiaoxia Jing, and Suyuan Li were among the participants in the workshop. The program was featured on Portuguese television with commentary from Jon Levine on his project. (starts at the 8:10 mark)

Lina Alaoui Douiri / Future Islands – A return to the elements?

Suyuan Li / Before Art, there was Techné

Simon Bearse / A point of view , from the room to the territory 

Jon Levine +Xiaoxia Jing /Vulnerable Techno-ecologies