Organized by architectural historians Irene Cheng, James Graham, Andrew Herscher, and Diana Martinez, and featuring keynotes from Anna Tsing, Liz Gálvez, and Charmaine Chua, the Materialities of Empire public forum and workshop is intended to support the development of a book about how critical, theoretical, historical, and historiographic questions can be brought to the fore in explorations of architecture’s material dimensions. Imperialism, a historical system constructed to exercise control not only over land and people, but also resources and materials, has been a major contributor to the material history of architecture, and this project will explore how through a series of new essays from leading architectural historians of materials and imperialism.
Materialities of Empire
WHEN: Friday, October 2, 2026, 5–6:30 PM
WHERE: UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design, 102 Wurster Hall