Joana Rafael is an architect practitioner and Postdoctoral Researcher, specializing in ecological concerns related to pollution and contamination, both indoors and in urban planning. Her research explores the intersections of architecture and urbanism with human geography, environmental studies, and power dynamics, encompassing contemporary culture, media studies, art, and technology. She investigates the materiality and limits of physical infrastructures in relation to Earth's systems and the reciprocal relationships between humans and nature, with a particular focus on radiologically contaminated environments. Joana has taught Contextual Studies and Contemporary Culture-related courses at institutions including ESAP in Porto, ISCE Douro in Penafiel, Central Saint Martins in London, and the University for the Creative Arts in Canterbury. She is a member of CEGOT (Center for Studies in Geography and Spatial Planning) and CEAA (Centro de Estudos Arnaldo Araújo), and a co-founder of REFINERY BOARD. Joana holds a Master of Architecture and Urban Cultures from Metropolis, Barcelona, as well as a Master of Research Architecture and a PhD in Visual Cultures from Goldsmiths, University of London. She also earned a Healthier Materials and Sustainable Building Specialization certificate from Parsons School of Design, The New School. In addition to her academic pursuits, Joana is a certified farmer.

Urgeiriça

Miners District and the Nuclear Mining Landscape
On Radioactive Extraction, Decontamination, and the Enduring Challenges of Urgeiriça
This post-doctoral research delves into the history and ongoing implications of the radium and uranium extraction and decontamination industries in the former Urgeiriça Mining Area, the largest radioactive materials mining complex in Portugal. The study aims to chronicle the development, functions, and aesthetics of the complex and its residential areas, providing a comprehensive analysis of their history and architecture from inception to the present day. It explores the socio-economic and environmental impacts of the mining activities, the remediation efforts for radioactively contaminated houses, and the resilience of the local inhabitants. Employing multidisciplinary methods, this research seeks to understand the evolution of Urgeiriça as both a residential and industrial space, its significance as cultural heritage, and its environmental management practices. Ultimately, the study contributes new perspectives on rural (post-)industrial contexts and their ongoing environmental negotiations.