Raw Earth

At a time when the planet’s limits are under increasing strain, we look to raw earth not as a nostalgic return but as a radical proposition for contemporary architecture in Portugal. The exhibition charts a journey from raw matter to conscious action: from the physical and mineral complexity of soil, through the cultural and technical knowledge accumulated over centuries, to the contemporary practices that reclaim earth as a viable, ethical, and poetic building material. Starting from the ground beneath our feet as matter, archive, and agent, Raw Earth brings together scientific and historical content, prototypes, and contemporary case studies, as well as collaborative and living installations, while examining and reusing earth excavated from urban construction sites in Lisbon. The aim is to foster dialogue among professionals, researchers, and citizens; to give visibility to a quiet yet significant movement in earthen architecture and construction in Portugal; and to contribute to a broader cultural shift towards more sustainable forms of building.

Curator Madalena Vidigal

◾ Conversations around earth: earth in urban contexts
Sunday, 7 June, at 5:00pm at the Architecture Centre
What destiny do we assign to excavated earth in the Portuguese capital? Following on from the “Terras de Lisboa” project, this conversation establishes connections with international cooperative experiences focused on the valorisation of excavated earth, placing them in dialogue with the national context. Architects, builders, engineers, and policy-makers examine the logistical, bureaucratic, and cultural challenges that hinder circulation and access to this material, with the aim of exploring viable models for integrating local earth into the construction of the city itself.

Talk in Portuguese language, with free admission, subject to prior registration servico.educativo.museu@ccb.pt.

◾ From conversation to film
Saturday, 20 June, at 3:30pm: guided tour in Portuguese, free admission, subject to prior registration; and at 5:00pm: screening in the MAC/CCB auditorium
This double programme begins with a guided visit to the Raw Earth exhibition led by curator Madalena Vidigal and architects Nuno Vasconcelos (DOING) and Tânia Teixeira (CRU). This is followed, at 5:00 pm, by a film screening, also focused on the theme of the ground beneath our feet.

Visit to the exhibition

◾ Sunday, july 19, at 11:00am
Free admission, subject to prior registration to the email address servico.educativo.museu@ccb.pt