Joana Rafael (b.1979) is an architect practitioner, researcher and writer, currently based in Porto. Holds a PhD in Visual Cultures and a MRes in Research Architecture from Goldsmiths, University of London, and a MA from the Metropolis program, once administered by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and the Center for Contemporary Culture in Barcelona. She dedicates herself to the development of projects and provides architectural consultancy. As a researcher, Joana develops interdisciplinary work centred on (issues of) ecology, contemporary, digital and material culture, technology and natural sciences. Uses writing as a research tool. Joana received the Erasmus+ grant (2001), FCT´s PhD Research Scholarship (2008), a study grant from Concordia University, Montreal (2008) and the Research (2019) and Production (2020) grant from Digital Cultures, Creative Industries NL, Netherlands - which led to the development of Lost Zone: Hiking the Dawn of the Metaverse, published by ViaIndustriae, Italia. Joana has been Assistant Professor at Central St. Martins, London (2009 – 2015), the University of Creative Arts, Canterbury (2013–15), the Instituto de Ciências Educativas, Penafiel (2017–20) and Escola Superior Artística do Porto (2020-2022). Teaches Contextual Studies and Contemporary Culture-related courses, and is a member of ISPUP (Institute of Public Health of the University of Porto) and CEGOT (Center for Studies in Geography and Spatial Planning). Joana is also a certified farmer.
Coll()sion
Research Architecture, Goldsmith, London
Abstract:
Coll[]sion focus on the relation between two, seven days interval, event-accidents that happened one in the deep Sea other in the Outer Space. Both presented as remarkable misfortunes and constructed as paradigmatic chance opened door to the recognition of failure and to attempts to overcome (or improve) if not to silence and/or deceive: collusion able to be transformed in collusion. Positioning schemas of military behavior, privilege of relation to space and standards for prevailing tecno-scientific developments to be socio-constructed, transformed or (re)invented, this work inquires how international and relatively free spaces are produced and by what means they interconnect forms of governance and / or dispute.
