Reclaiming Colonial Architecture: Critical Practices of Land, Cities, Buildings and Things

Abstract

We live in a world full of cities, buildings, monuments and artefacts, many of which are residues of colonial times and processes. The question of how to approach the material legacies of colonialism in postcolonial contexts, both in colonies and metropoles, has been an underlying and sometimes active issue, for instance since several South American nations’ independence from European colonisers beginning in the late 18th century, and a large cluster of British and French ex-colonies gained independence around the middle of the 20th century. It remains a contentious issue in many regions including Asia, Australasia, the Caribbean and Africa where vestiges of colonial ties are reinforced by i..