Hard and Soft Histories
Newfoundland is “the rock.” Its geography and climate are notoriously hard, but its people—known for their hospitality, language, and song—are famously soft. Likewise, buildings, cities, and landscapes form the physical fabric of our everyday lives, but they are also backgrounds to the cultural and social practices that take place there. This year the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada invites proposals that reflect on hard and soft histories in order to explore how the Canadian built environment participates in shaping diverse identities, societies, and praxes.
This year’s conference will be held at the base of Signal Hill, a National Historic Site overlooking the entrance to St. John’s Harbour. St. John’s is one of the oldest European settlements in North America. Since the 16th century, the city has served as the capital of England’s first overseas colony, the independent Dominion of Newfoundland, and now Canada’s tenth province. As always, our conference will feature paper presentations, tours, and a concluding banquet.