Unlearning History and Theory

Introduction

The workshop UNLEARNING HISTORY AND THEORY engages with architectural history and theory through decolonial perspectives. Conceived as an open and exploratory format, it interrogates colonial power relations, hegemonic structures, inequalities and exclusions in knowledge systems, and encourages critical discussion and collaborative approaches towards more inclusive and diverse educational practices.

The history and theory of architecture are undergoing a fundamental transformation. Historical narratives and theoretical arguments rely on tools and methods used to interpret them. For a long time, these have been shaped by knowledge systems that not only ignored colonial power relations, hegemonic structures, spatial inequalities and ecological dependencies, but often actively reproduced them. This has had a decisive influence on how architecture is understood and interpreted and has regulated which histories and theories are included or systematically excluded.

It is encouraging to see an increasing focus on social justice in architecture schools, one that centres global relations and explicitly engages with political and social responsibility. There is a growing awareness of the need to include a broader diversity of voices and perspectives and to decolonise architectural education. This shift raises questions about its impact on academic education.

The workshop UNLEARNING HISTORY AND THEORY: Decolonial Perspectives on Architectural History and Theory situates these questions within architectural educational institutions, and more specifically within the programmes of history and theory. Its aim is to identify and foster strategies for adopting a pluralistic and inclusive approach to architectural education, with a particular focus on teaching architectural history and theory today.

Reframing the discipline requires disclosing intrinsic aspects of coloniality, racialisation, segregation and exclusion embedded within established knowledge structures. Reviewing the knowledge techniques and formats of teaching and communication of architectural histories and theories entails renegotiating methodological boundaries, rethinking theoretical assumptions and conventions, and recognising historical absences and presences.

Change in this regard is only possible through cooperation, collective action and collaborative knowledge-sharing. Rather than rejecting historical knowledge and teaching methods, the workshop encourages critical engagement with them. Its agenda includes interdisciplinary dialogue among architectural history, architectural theory, cultural studies and political science. Guided by the question “Who tells whose history?”, the workshop will be dynamically structured: keynote speakers, moderators and participants will swap roles to enable a polyphonic and non-hierarchical exchange.

The event combines a workshop with public lectures. The public lectures on Thursday, 12 March from 13:00 to 20:00, bring together Tom Avermaete, Janina Gosseye, Kenny Cupers (online), Tatjana Schneider, Anna-Maria Meister and Ola Uduku. Their contributions address the global turn in post-war architecture culture, the writing of architectural histories, institutional critique and situated perspectives on space, design and purpose of educational buildings in Africa. The public lectures are open to all.

The project was initiated by the Architecture–Theory–History Department at the Faculty of Architecture at RPTU University in Kaiserslautern-Landau. Further information on the structure and timetable here.

Programme

Thursday, 12 March 2026, 9:00–13:00
CONTEXTUALISATION
Workshop (Working Group only)

Introduced by Adria Daraban, the session centers on contextualization and continues in three working groups addressing narratives, visibility, and historiography. Moderation by Lidia Gasperoni and Marc Nötges (WG 1 – Which narratives are being constructed, and which remain invisible?), Klaus Platzgummer and Sahana Doravari (WG 2 – Who is speaking, and who is being heard?), and Cornelia Escher and Maurice Denechaud (WG 3 – Whose history is being told?).

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Thursday, 12 March 2026, 13:00–20:00
PUBLIC LECTURES
Open to all

13:00
Welcome and Introduction
Dunya Bouchi, Partner, Aedes, Berlin
Adria Daraban, RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau

13:15–14:00
Tom Avermaete, ETH Zürich
The Global Turn: Post-War Architecture Culture in a ‘Flattened World’

14:00–14:45
Janina Gosseye, TU Delft
Building Stories

14:45–15:30
Kenny Cupers, University of Basel (online)
Down to Earth

16:00–16:45
Tatjana Schneider, TU Braunschweig
Architecture schools should be dissolved! Unless…

16:45–17:30
Anna-Maria Meister, KIT Karlsruhe / KHI Florenz
Institutionality and/or Radicality

19:00
Ola Uduku, University of Liverpool
Educational Buildings in Africa – interrogating space, design and purpose…

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Friday, 13 March 2026, 9:00–16:00
Workshop (Working Group Only)

NEW TOOLS
The day begins with Playing Across Disciplines: COLLAB, a Game by the German UNESCO Chair Network, led by Marie Enders, Silja Klepp and Kim Nierobisch. Moderation by Lidia Gasperoni and Marc Nötges, Klaus Platzgummer and Sahana Doravari, and Cornelia Escher and Maurice Denechaud as the working groups continue their thematic discussions.

RESETTING TOOLS AND METHODOLOGIES
The afternoon is dedicated to developing approaches towards new educational practices and concludes with a plenary reflection session.