First Docomomo Portugal Congress to be held in Coimbra
The event is organised by Docomomo Portugal and the Department of Architecture of the University of Coimbra's Faculty of Sciences and Technology.
The 1st Docomomo Portugal Conference – Teaching, Reuse and Transformation of Modern Architecture and the City, jointly organized by Docomomo Portugal and the Department of Architecture of the University of Coimbra, will take place on 20 October, from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm, and 21 October, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
The congress aims to highlight intervention strategies applied to modern architectural heritage, urban ensembles, and landscapes in Portugal. It is organised jointly by Docomomo Portugal and the Department of Architecture of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology at the University of Coimbra.
Admission is free.
More information is available at www.docomomo.pt.
Preserving 20th-Century Modernist Architecture: The Modern Movement was the defining architectural approach of the 20th century, radically transforming the built environment worldwide. Pioneering architects explored new ways of living and innovative construction techniques, laying the foundations for contemporary architecture through visionary ideas of form, space, technology, and social responsibility.
More than a century later, many of the movement’s values have been reassessed, adapted, or even rejected. Yet its original spirit remains relevant, and new generations are rediscovering and reinterpreting Modernist principles. Today, many modern buildings face functional obsolescence or urgent repair needs, posing a challenge for their preservation amid constant physical, social, economic, and environmental change.
Modernist architecture is increasingly recognised as world heritage and valued as a tool for sustainable design, adaptive reuse, and cultural debate. Key contemporary concerns include material reuse, spatial and functional transformation, and updating standards to meet current needs. Preserving 20th-century heritage requires balancing technical analysis with artistic sensitivity, understanding a building’s history, life cycle, and use, and carefully assessing the materials and construction techniques employed.