Roots of disobedience

Em relação à 2ª edição da Trienal de Arquitectura, toma-se a liberdade de exportar (a partir do facebook) um texto de Tiago Mota Saraiva intitulado Roots of Disobedience, que permite de algum modo abrir a discussão em torno do paradigma deste tipo de eventos: para que servem afinal estas Trienais?

The second edition of Lisbon Architecture Triennale will be starting on the 14th October. The motto “Let’s talk about houses” (withdrawn from a poem by Portuguese great poet Herberto Helder) unveiled by the organization as the idea “to debate the question of housing both literally and in a broader sense of housing in the world”.

Despite such noble intentions the program is very conservative since focused on regular stand-up lecturers and traditional museum’s exhibitions. Even though we might see brilliant presentations or fantastic pictures from contemporary architecture, Lisbon Architecture Triennale program has no space for uncertainty, which makes me think that 2010 Venice Biennale’s Golden Lion “Reclaim” will never have place on it.

On the other hand the prices announced for the events are unaffordable for the majority of Portuguese people. Two days of “architecture [in] ]out[ politics” conferences costs 150,00 €, which represents one third of national minimum wage. On a country submerged by the crises, when then majority of people are suffering violent cuts on wages and social benefits and when demonstrations and strikes will be popping up in all corners of the city, Lisbon Architecture Triennale might be closed on a resort that only some can afford.

But this is only a forecast supported on available information.

Participants and guests will play a decisive role choosing to embody one more architects' belly showroom – that might be so useful for their own income profits as useless to society, or turning their back to resorts and spreading new roots within inner city.

tms