Emanuel de Sousa

Heterotopia: Reframing Spatial Practices and Boundaries, c.1968 - 2008

Supervisors: Marina Lathouri, Edward W. Soja

The dissertation explores the long history of the term heterotopia from its emergence in biology and medicine in the late nineteenth century, to its appearance in cultural studies in architecture in the late twentieth century. Parallel research investigated the various formulations of type starting from the natural sciences, medicine and social sciences and subsequent appropriations in architecture and urbanism. Special attention was given to the international exhibitions Roma Interrota (Rome, 1978), 10 Immagini per Venezia (Venice, 1978-80) and International Bauausstellung Berlin (Berlin, 1979-87). These were studied to evaluate the renewed interest in ‘type’ and typological variation within ‘specific’ city formations, through the work of Aldo Rossi and John Hejduk, among others. PhD successfully completed December 2013, nominated for the RIBA President’s Awards for Research 2014.

Emanuel de Sousa graduated from FAUP, Portugal, with further academic education at TU Delft and the Berlage Institute, Netherlands. He has worked for Steven Ehrlich, Peter Eisenman and Carvalho Araújo. He has taught Urbanism, History and Theory at FAUP, the AA and Universidade Católica. His PhD studies were supported by FCT Portugal. He was co-editor of Propositions: Ideology in Transparency (AA, 2010). He is also involved in research on performing arts and scenography as the artistic director of Ponto Teatro, Portugal.

image credits: Aldo Rossi, Private Polaroid Collection. CCA Archive Collection, Centre Canadien
D’Architecture, Montreal (composition taken in residence at CCA under the CCA Collection
Research Grant Program in 2010)