Uneasy Leisure

The project examines the post-1974 ‘afterlife’ of ten paradigmatic hotels, analysing the operative agency of the multiple narratives and interpretations they embody. Through a comparative analysis that draws on theoretical tools from architectural history and theory and critical heritage studies, this research will interrogate competing narratives of nationalism and identity; oscillations between remembrance and oblivion; and environmental frictions regarding dereliction, demolition, and preservation. By exposing the complexities of modern architectural heritage in a conflicted landscape, this project aims to inspire alternative heritage practices that recognize the complex politics of modern buildings and probe possibilities of transcending polarization.