Portugal: Material Practices

About this Travel Course

Although separated by the Atlantic Ocean, Providence and surrounding New England towns have deep ties to Portugal. An influx of immigrants from Portugal, who settled in New England in the late-18th century, links the two regions. Providence, East Providence, Central Falls, Fall River, and New Bedford, among other towns, continue to function as vital hubs for Portuguese Americans today. Students in the co-requisite liberal arts and studio courses will use the methodologies of architecture, design, and the environmental humanities to investigate how wood- from pine to cork- functions as a node in intersecting biological, cultural, economic, political, social, and theoretical networks that route through Portugal. Students will spend the wintersession in Portugal, which offers a unique context in which to study making and adapting the natural and built environment towards sustainable models of design innovation. While abroad, students will study the roles natural resources play in the future of historic places; will investigate principles for the design of artifacts, systems, and/or building technologies that engage both local and global knowledge; and will use literature, theory, and other cultural texts to test, frame, and deepen their ideas. Locations will include Lisbon, Porto, and the Alentejo region, with additional day trips. Students will complete regular design, drawing, collecting, reading, and writing assignments throughout the entire course. The last two weeks of the course will be dedicated to producing the final project for the course-a publication that will weave together architectural and environmental humanities approaches to a site in Portugal.

Co-Requisite Courses

This is a co-requisite course. Students must plan and register for ARCH-1505 and CER-1505. Students will receive 6 studio credits.

Student + Faculty Stories

Read more about Portugal, Material Practices in RISD News: Engage with Portuguese Design