III Seminario DOCOMOMO-PR Explores Modern Architecture in Brazil

The III Seminario DOCOMOMO-PR, scheduled for August 31, 2026, will convene in Brazil to critically examine the historiography of modern architecture in Latin America. The seminar, organized by DOCOMOMO-PR, a chapter of the international organization dedicated to the documentation and conservation of the modern movement, will challenge the traditional narrative that positions European centers as the origin of modern architecture and Latin America as a passive recipient. Drawing on the critical reflections of Argentine architectural historian Marina Waisman, the event will propose a shift toward understanding Latin American production as an active process of interpretation, where external references are absorbed, transformed, and resignified according to local cultural, technical, and historical conditions. The seminar aims to foster discussions on how modern architecture in Brazil and the broader region has been shaped by progressive displacements of ideas, experimentations, and critical revisions across diverse contexts. By foregrounding Waisman's concept of the 'interior of history,' the event seeks to decentralize the historiography and highlight the agency of Latin American architects and thinkers. The seminar is expected to bring together scholars, architects, and students interested in reinterpreting the legacy of modern architecture in the region.