We're in a Recife state of mind

Recife is the capital of the state of Pernambuco and is situated in the northeast of Brazil. Originally Recife was the harbour of the Portuguese city of Olinda. When the Dutch West India Company defeated the Portuguese in 1630 they burned down Olinda and settled in Recife. The city remained under Dutch rule until 1654. The city experienced a prosperous period during the reign of Maurice of Nassau, from 1636 to 1643, which is remembered with nostalgia to this day. During this period the first bridge of the Americas was build to connect the harbour to ‘Mauritsstad’ (nowadays São Antonio) that still has a recognizable Dutch urban outlay. The city is protected by an elongated black reef (in Portuguese ‘recife’) and lies in the delta of the rivers Beberibe and Capibaribe. Recife is known as the ‘Venice of Brazil’ because of the great many bridges over these two rivers in the city centre.

rXa – Recife Exchange Amsterdam

ARCAM, Amsterdam Centre for Architecture, is working on an exchange of knowledge between Brazilian and Dutch architects on the cities of Amsterdam and Recife. A dialogue between these two cities is very interesting because they have an historical link that is also expressed spatially. Recife was founded by the Dutch in the seventeenth century, which is still evident in, for example, the street pattern of the old centre and in a series of forts along the coast. A relevant question in that respect is how Recife manages this ‘Dutch’ heritage. Another feature is the dominant presence of water: both cities are located in a delta and both thus have problems, but also opportunities, created by water.

In Recife and in Amsterdam, far-reaching measures must be taken with regard to the future; measures that must be aimed at renewal, while at the same time they must also be in keeping with historical achievements. 

How are both cities working on the future and what can they learn from each other? 

The project will among others contain an exhibition at ARCAM opening on 14 October 2011, during the Brasil Festival Amsterdam. The coming months we will intensify the dialogue and keep you posted via this blog.

 Flora van Gaalen