Pancho Guedes
Encyclopedia
Pancho Guedes, often Amancio Guedes (born Amancio d'Alpoim Miranda Guedes in 1925) is a Portuguese
architect, sculptor, and painter. An archetype Eclectic Modernist born in Lisbon
, Portugal, he went to the Portuguese territory of Mozambique when he was 7 years old. He spent much of his life in the Portuguese territory of East Africa
, where he made more than 500 designs for buildings, many of them in the its chief city, Lourenço Marques
. Guedes was part of “Team 10”, a group of architects who assembled in July 1953 at the 9th Congress of CIAM and adopted a new approach to urbanism. Aside from his large-scale architectural projects, he is a keen sculptor and painter and has exhibited in the Berardo Collection Museum
in Lisbon, amongst other places. After the events of the Carnation Revolution
in Lisbon
, he left the nearly-independent territory in 1974. Independent Mozambique was established in 1975 and officially called the People's Republic of Mozambique
. The dramatic departure from Mozambique in 1974 left his family almost penniless. But thanks to the almost legendary reputation Pancho had earned, he had received an invitation to take the vacant chair of Architecture at the University of the Witwatersrand
in Johannesburg
.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
architect, sculptor, and painter. An archetype Eclectic Modernist born in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal, he went to the Portuguese territory of Mozambique when he was 7 years old. He spent much of his life in the Portuguese territory of East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, where he made more than 500 designs for buildings, many of them in the its chief city, Lourenço Marques
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
. Guedes was part of “Team 10”, a group of architects who assembled in July 1953 at the 9th Congress of CIAM and adopted a new approach to urbanism. Aside from his large-scale architectural projects, he is a keen sculptor and painter and has exhibited in the Berardo Collection Museum
Berardo Collection Museum
The Berardo Collection Museum is a museum of modern and contemporary art in Belém, a district of Lisbon, Portugal.-History:...
in Lisbon, amongst other places. After the events of the Carnation Revolution
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, he left the nearly-independent territory in 1974. Independent Mozambique was established in 1975 and officially called the People's Republic of Mozambique
People's Republic of Mozambique
The People's Republic of Mozambique , was a self-declared socialist state that lasted from June 25, 1975 through December 1, 1990, becoming the present day Republic of Mozambique.After gaining independence from Portugal in 1975, the People's Republic of Mozambique was established shortly...
. The dramatic departure from Mozambique in 1974 left his family almost penniless. But thanks to the almost legendary reputation Pancho had earned, he had received an invitation to take the vacant chair of Architecture at the University of the Witwatersrand
University of the Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is a South African university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University...
in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
.