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.
U
“U” is an artistic creation project developed in close dialogue with the community of the mining village of Urgeiriça, focusing on the history of uranium extraction in Portugal and its social, environmental, and human repercussions. Based on an interdisciplinary research process, the project seeks to shed light on the historical and ongoing impacts of mining, including its effects on the living conditions of local populations and the collective memory of the territory.
The artistic work pays tribute to the mining communities, recognising their experience, resilience, and contribution to the country’s industrial and social history. The piece was realised in ceramics by Isabel Carvalho and subsequently donated to the Association of Former Urgeiriça Workers (ATMU) for inclusion in the proposed Urgeiriça Mining Museum, accompanied by a poster with text authored by Joana Rafael and designed by Luísa Martelo.
