Local and Global Modern Thinking. Designing with Climate in Mozambique: School Buildings Production

Abstract

The novelty of modern architecture in the former Portuguese African colonies derives from the fact that the ideology of the Modern Movement was interpreted locally. This built heritage is represented in terms of its responsiveness to the physical environment in which it operates, by means of Design with Climate–A Bioclimatic Approach to Architectural Regionalism (Olgyay, 1963). Combining tradition and innovation, this approach sought to address the specific socio–cultural context within which modern architecture was conceived (Kultermann, 1969). With the purpose of contributing to the documentation and conservation of modern heritage in Africa, interpreted in the light of these assumptions (Quintã, 2007), this paper addresses a particular architectural program – school buildings – widely developed and built in Mozambique, between 1955 and 1975, the year of independence for the former Portuguese colonies. Initially led by architect Fernando Mesquita, as part of the Public Works Services of the Province of Mozambique, it was reconfigured and evolved through various levels of education, ranging from primary to high schools. Extensively built in urban and rural territory, and even gathering later contributions from other authors, the built output of this program remains a prominent feature in the Mozambican territory.