AHI Architectural Heritage Intervention

“Contributing to enhancing our heritage, as the way forward for 21 st Century architecture is our raison d’être; to emphasize a diverse, rich vision that necessarily complements the intervention is our mission, and achieving it with reflexive and purposeful efforts is the challenge”.

This project, founded in, and directed since, 2011 by Ramon Calonge, Oriol Cusidó, Marc Manzano and Jordi Portal, architects and members of the Group of Architects for the Defence and Intervention in Architectural Heritage (AADIPA), has, through the years become a platform that includes four actions that are both independent and transversal.
 
The European Award, a biennial event that brings together and showcases the multiple approaches of intervention in Europe.

The International Biennial, a framework that serves to compare and gain closer insight of quality interventions in architectural heritage in non-European countries.

The digital Archive, a live and open window that provides a panoramic view of interventions in the history of our surroundings.

The Forum, a meeting place where you can participate in on-going debates about the main preoccupations and lines of thought about interventions in architectural heritage in Europe.

Equatorial Guinea, guest country at the 5th edition of the International Biennial for Architectural Heritage Intervention

Equatorial Guinea, guest country at the 5th edition of the International Biennial for Architectural Heritage Intervention

08 June 2021

On Thursday, June 17, 2021, the fifth edition of the International Biennial for Architectural Heritage Intervention will take place, which, like the European Award, is celebrating its tenth anniversary with this edition. The guest country for this edition is Equatorial Guinea, and it will be presented at MUHBA in Barcelona, based on the theme "Different visions of heritage in Equatorial Guinea".

The Biennial, organized with the support of COAC and the Department of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia is free to register – and in keeping with regulations, capacity is limited – the event will however be streamed on the Award's YouTube channel. Experts from various disciplines of architecture and the world of art will participate in the event, the aim of which is to present a sample of the Equatorial Guinean heritage panorama in the broadest sense, a heritage that draws from the ancestral memory up to the mixture of colonial cultures (Portuguese, British and Spanish) who have passed through the country leaving their mark. 

The Equatorial Guinean society is committed to the preservation and rehabilitation of architectural and urban heritage and is working to turn it into an engine of sustainable development for the country. The plurality and richness of its material legacy is another expression of its culture. Strengthening and projecting tangible and intangible values internationally are key to the country’s present and future.

The Biennial, once again this year, culminates with the official presentation of the European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention. The event will be hosted by the journalist Quim Morales, and a representative of the award's international jury will present the finalists' works and announce their decision for each of the four categories, as well as the Special Mention for Restoration. Finally, the event will be commemorating the tenth anniversary of a project that arose from the conviction that heritage, as a vehicle for social integration and an economic resource that stimulates societies, deserves to be revalued and promoted. 

FULL PROGRAM:
Welcome
10.00 h Presentation of the conference
By:
Ms Assumpció Puig. President of the Architects’ Association of Catalonia, COAC
Mr Jordi Domeque Deputy Director of Cultural Heritage of the Department of Culture
Mr Antoni Vilanova. President of AADIPA
Mr Marc Manzano. Co-director of the European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention. 

DIFFERENT VISIONS OF HERITAGE IN EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Equatorial Guinea is undergoing a process of redefinition associated with a far-reaching economic and social transformation. Because of this and a change in thinking, both traditional and colonial heritage have become stigmatised and very fragile. Society believes in the preservation and rehabilitation of architectural and urban heritage and is working to turn it into an engine of sustainable development for the country. 

10.30 to 13.00 h. Morning session
The conference will be conducted by Mr Jordi Portal. Co-director of the European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention

“The New Urban Districts, the development of small towns". (Virtual) 
Speaker: Dominica Nchama Minang ntang. Architect in the Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Urbanism of Equatorial Guinea, in the Directorate of Urban Planning and Land Registry

“Interventions in the landscape heritage of Equatorial Guinea”. (Virtual)
Speaker: Ursicino Nsé. Architect and founder of Parasite, a project design and construction process company.

"Cultural heritage of the Ñañigos from Fernando Poo in the architectural heritage of Santa Isabel”
Speaker: Pocho Guimaraes. Cross artist from the world of art, cinema and dance

"Memories of an era (1960-1969)"
Speaker: Marcelo Ndong. Actor and heritage dissemination. 

16.00 to 17.30 h. Afternoon session
Presentation by Elena Belart. Architect and Head of the Architectural Heritage service of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage

"Colonialism, Heritage and Repair in Equatorial Guinea"
Speaker: Laida Memba. Architect and co-director of the Guinea Heritage project

“Heritage landscapes of Equatorial Guinea”.
Speaker: Montserrat Villaverde. Art Historian, co-director of the Guinea Heritage project and Head of documentation and dissemination of RehabiMed

19.00-21.00 Award Ceremony
The event will be presented by Mr Quim Morales, journalist

19.00 h. Presentation of the finalist projects 
By: 
Members of the award management team
Members of the international jury of the fifth edition 

20.00 h Institutional Award ceremony
By:
Minister for Culture, Honourable Ms Natàlia Garriga *
President of the Architects’ Association of Catalonia Ms Assumpció Puig
President of AADIPA Mr Antoni Vilanova 
Director of Urban Architecture and Heritage of the Department of Chief Architects at Barcelona City Council, Mr Marc-Aureli Santos
Director of the Institut Català del Sòl, Mr Albert Civit
Barcelona Metropolitan Area. Director of Services, Mr Albert Gassull

5 editions of the Award and its 10th anniversary

* Attendance to be confirmed

Site Biennal Internacional: Sala Martí l’Humà, MUHBA. Limited Capacity. RSVP at: biennial@eu-architecturalheritage.org. Languages: Spanish and Catalan.
It can be followed online at:
Morning session: https://youtu.be/MNUOKTl47SQ
Afternoon session: https://youtu.be/nXtk0UN85cg

Award Ceremony: Full capacity. It can be followed online at:
https://youtu.be/f4MZ6AsrTKs