. dissensus tries to explore the contemporary condition and spatial reality on which architects operate broadening the view and fostering critical reflection about aspects of society that are paramount but nonetheless too often taken for granted… sociologists, anthropologists, philosophers, artists, film-makers, thinkers… have probably understood many of these crucial aspects of our cities and our lifes in a way that seems at least interesting to analize if not absolutely essential for an architect…

the concept of ‘dissensus’ and some of the ideas around it are inspired by the political theories and reflections of Jaques Rancière, the idea of agonistic pluralism explored by Chantal Mouffe, the wise disections and reflections of Slavoj Zizek or Zygmunt Bauman and the work of certain architects, critics and historians… some of them will be hopefully explored during the course…

…in the hyper-real and symbolic world of today, in which representations and images have almost become “matter”, such an exploration and reflection seems to have to be necessarily done from the images themselves… cinema seems thus to constitute an interesting field of research and reflection.

…the course will then include a series of in-class screenings that will try to explore those images, their corresponding narratives, if any, and their relationship with space…in search of ”other” gazes… an aesthetics of politics, and ‘dissent’…

[ . dissensus pretende explorar la condición contemporánea y la realidad espacial sobre la que operan los/as arquitectos/as, ampliando la mirada y fomentando la reflexión crítica sobre aspectos de la sociedad que son fundamentales y sin embargo frecuentemente obviados… Sociólogos/as, antropólogos/as, filósofos/as, artistas, cineastas y pensadores/as, han entendido muchos de estos aspectos cruciales de nuestras ciudades y nuestras vidas de una forma que parece pertinente al menos analizar, y que quiza sea absolutamente esencial para un arquitecto/a…

el concepto de ‘dissensus’ y algunas de las ideas que lo rodean se inspiran en las teorías políticas de Jaques Rancière, en la idea de pluralismo agónico explorada por Chantal Mouffe, las agudas disecciones y reflexiones de Slavoj Zizek o Zygmunt Bauman, y el trabajo de ciertos arquitectos, críticos e historiadores… algunos de los cuales se explorarán a lo largo del curso…

… en el hiper-real y simbólico mundo contemporáneo, en el que la representación y la imagen se han convertido casi ya en ‘materia’, parece que una exploración y reflexión de este tipo debe llevarse a cabo necesariamente desde las propias imágenes… el cine parece constituir entonces un interesante campo de investigación y reflexión…

Para ello, el curso incluirá una serie de proyecciones que tratarán de explorar las imágenes, sus correspondientes ‘máquinas narrativas’, si es que existen, y sus relaciones con el espacio, … en busca de ‘otras’ miradas… una estética de lo político, y el disenso… ]

[ I want to specially thank Roemer van Toorn, for his work at the Berlage Institute and at TUDelft and for being, in the distance, an ever inspiring voice and a hopeful and motivating source of projective thought, critical reflection and knowledge, as well as a solid position in search of an architecture of resistance. Many ideas present in this course are inspired in his ongoing work and research.

Further acknowledgment and gratitude goes to Antonio Millán and Isabel Crespo for giving me this oportunity to explore such themes and for the patience and motivating attitude. This course wouldn’t be possible without the influence and dedication of a number of great architects and teachers I have met while studying and/or teaching: José Altés, Chema Martínez, Xavier Monteys, Pere Fuertes, Jordi Parcerisas, Joan Llecha, Jordi Costa, Marissa Marsal, Pere Riera, Albert Cuchi, Txatxo Sabater, Carme Bonell, Miguel Usandizaga,  Olindo Caso, Tamara Rogic, Patrick Healy and a few others…

I obviously thank our guest lecturers too and feel very proud of sharing such an academic space with them.

Any student willing to enroll in such an experimental, undefined and unconfortable exploration deserves to be thanked too. ]

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Alberto Altés