Book Pedrógão Grande | The Right to Post-Fire Architecture

In light of the tragic wildfires this year, we revisit a compilation of texts from various authors featured in the book Pedrógão Grande: The Right to Post-Fire Architecture, published in 2022 by Livraria Tigre de Papel, authored by Ateliermob in collaboration with the cooperative Trabalhar com os 99%.

The book addresses the reconstruction of areas affected by the devastating 2017 wildfires in Pedrógão Grande, from an architectural and urban planning perspective. The central theme of this work revolves around the right to architecture, which should be regarded as a fundamental part of the recovery process, highlighting the importance of housing solutions that respect the local identity and the needs of the affected communities. The work explores the role of architecture in creating resilient and safe environments, balancing collective memory, sustainability, and the prevention of future disasters.

The fourth chapter of the book is dedicated to a series of reflections, including a 'Methodological Essay on Dealing with Future Catastrophes.' Below is an excerpt from the book, where we can reflect on the solidarity shared among those affected by the tragedy, in the face of the absence of public policies to address such catastrophic events:

"While the fire was still raging, small community-based response systems were spontaneously formed. Some to fight the fire, others to care for those battling it, others to organize meals, and others to provide temporary housing for victims. A few days later, given the number of homes affected, it became clear that few people had relied on public support for temporary housing, as family and neighborhood networks had managed to solve most housing issues. In other words, quickly and self-organized, communities responded by creating a basic care system to face the emergency. It was a spontaneous, informal, and robust social response. These networks and communities were never considered as part of the recovery process for the territories or their long-term sustainability. As soon as an institutional response began to take shape, technocracy regained its power and authority over the territories. The laws and criteria to which everyone had to adhere were drawn up in ministerial offices and by regional leaders appointed centrally. There were no moments of democratic deliberation, nor any effort to adapt what was being imposed from the top down to the realities of those territories. Even the political promises made in the heat of the moment were gradually forgotten, dissolving into the day-to-day noise.' (Ateliermob, TC99%, 2022-172)"