— 06 TERESA FONSECA

“This is a collection of interviews by architect Nuno Lacerda Lopes. They are conversations between architects of the School of Oporto where the process of building an ideal of architecture, profession, society and school is sought, based on a personal and open reflection and even clarify the theoretical and practical concerns as well as the circumstances that underlie Portuguese architecture today”.

Excerpt

“Good morning Professor, Doctor, Architect…

Architect. The ideal is professor Teresa Fonseca, or Teresa Fonseca, because I don’t think we live with the titles. What matters are the degrees we correspond to and I like the name degrees, that is to correct a little bit, sometimes, the way we treat each other. I think that degrees are steps up with sacrifice in the sense of one’s own education, although in Portugal there is a tendency to confuse this with honorary or power degrees. If this translated in practice into scientific power, scientific power and authority or professional authority, it would be great, because it was once again the exercise of service authority; only in Portugal this is not recognised. Anyone who is elected, or who is appointed to anything, doesn’t understand that as a service to be provided, but understands it as a place of exercise of power and importance. I have great difficulties in adjusting to Portuguese society; I have always had great difficulties in adjusting, also because I am the most maladjusted person for the exercise of power. I refuse, I don’t know, I don’t have degrees for the exercise of power at management level, for example, but I feel I have interesting professional qualifications. I feel that I have done a lot of study, since I was very young I have always loved studying and I think that it is becoming more and more necessary for me to learn something more. For example, on your subject: housing”.