To what extent can fish produce architecture? The initial responses to this question will be set forth on Tuesday, September 26, in a presentation given by the team of the Fishing Architecture research project. This presentation is the first in a series of lectures that will introduce and discuss the objectives, hypotheses, and outcomes of the ongoing project, funded by the European Research Council, which is exploring the potential future benefits of adopting an ecological perspective in architectural research.

Considering the challenges posed by our present environmental situation, the project employs the material history of architecture as a platform to advance interdisciplinary research and expand our understanding of the ecological impacts of human activities. One of the core hypotheses it seeks to demonstrate is that the built environment can reflect the physiology and behavior of marine species, such as cod, sardines, and tuna. By examining historical, geographical, ecological, and cultural factors and uncovering correlations between seemingly independent contexts, the project will promote an understanding of architecture not solely as a social practice but as an activity that has a reciprocal relationship with the ecological transformations on the planet.

The presentation at FAUP will be conducted in English; it will be repeated in Portuguese on September 28 at Casa Comum of the University of Porto. In the coming months, the lecture series will continue, bringing in specialists from various scientific fields, including experts on the history of ecology and the oceans. The second presentation, scheduled for October 3, will be led by researcher Loren McClenachan, whose focus will be on the historical biogeographic patterns of large marine animals.