Tuesday 5 August
Reclaiming Memory: The Sexto Panteón and the Forgotten Architect Itala Fulvia Villa
In this talk, Léa Namer presents her independent research on the Sexto Panteón (1949–1966), a monumental brutalist cemetery built in Buenos Aires, designed by the largely forgotten female architect Itala Fulvia Villa. Starting from a personal fascination with the site, Namer embarked on a long-term investigation that spanned archives, interviews, and on-site exploration. Her work led to the publication of Chacarita Moderna, the Brutalist Necropolis of Buenos Aires (Building Books, 2024), a book that sheds new light on this radical architecture and the erasure of its female author.
This lecture is not only a presentation of architectural history, but also an invitation to reflect on cemeteries as cultural artefacts—spaces where societies project values, fears, and aspirations about death, memory, and legacy. Namer explores how architecture can act as a vessel for collective remembrance and how re-examining neglected sites may shift our understanding of what we choose to preserve or forget. Her work also highlights the potential of independent, non-institutional research to reclaim marginalised narratives and expand the scope of architectural historiography.
Speaker Biography
Léa Namer (b. 1989) is a French architect and researcher. In 2019, she initiated Chacarita Moderna, a research project on the Sexto Panteón of Buenos Aires’ Chacarita Cemetery. The study of this unique necropolis marked the beginning of a multidisciplinary artistic practice (photo, video, installation) and a broader reflection on how contemporary societies relate to death and cemeteries. Her book Chacarita Moderna: The Brutalist Necropolis of Buenos Aires was published in 2024 by Building Books, with the support of the Graham Foundation.
When
Tuesday 5 August
6.30pm – 8.00pm
Refreshments from 6.00pmPresenter
Léa Namer
Where
LT250, Wilkinson Building G04
148 City Rd, Darlington, 2008
Enquiries
adp.events@sydney.edu.au
Talk Registration