A Timeline of Architecture & Design in History

• 10th March 2022, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
• Atrium
• Upon Registration Only

The canonical history of twentieth-century architecture and design in the English language is, like most histories, a constructed and partial view of reality. Yet it has often been perpetuated by its authors as a universal narrative of modernism consisting of a lineup of architects and designers, often Euro-American men, a progression of styles, and a sequence of masterworks. This reductionist view of history expires as soon as it is brought forth, as new information constantly emerges on that which was left out from narratives previously presented as complete.

Merely adding “newly found” architects and designers or their designs in an effort to make the existing narrative “global” without radically rethinking the very structures that underpin this reading of history do not suffice. New critical histories of design are not to replace one hierarchical narrative with another.

This proposed timeline is presented in two formats when launched in the context of Tasmeem Doha 2022. The timeline visualizes a partial history of architecture and design focusing on Latin America and the Arab World enriched by the inclusion of a slew of geographically diverse political and cultural benchmarks from around the rest of the world. It is anchored in the idea that any view of history is always provisional. There is no finite reading nor any claim to a “complete history” here.

In this talk, Mohamed Elshahed, the curator of the project, will present the timeline and discuss the conceptual ideas that produced it.

Mohamed Elshahed will be giving this talk virtually to a live audience. Seats are limited and are only open to VCUarts Qatar or Education city students, faculty, or alumni. In-person attendees must follow VCUarts Qatar guidelines related to COVID-19.

This event will be streamed live. Members of the public are welcome to ask questions in a moderated chat, at the end of each session.