Mauritius, ensa Nantes [Mauritius] - March 23-27, 2026

 

Learning/speculating from Mauritius . An Observatory of Architecture and Territories 

Architectures of Cities and Islands: Between the Extraordinary and the Ordinary. Heritage and Bifurcations.

 

Ensa Nantes [Mauritius], the international campus of the Nantes National School of Architecture located in Mauritius, formally launches its research initiative by organizing, in Mauritius, the first edition of its International Research Symposium: Architectures of Cities and Islands: Between the Extraordinary and the Ordinary. Heritage and Bifurcations.

Through presentations, panel discussions, and more informal exchanges, this conference invites us to compare the situations observed in Mauritius with architectural and urban experiences both in the region and globally. These comparisons will mobilise architectural, urban and cultural studies, as well as historical and anthropological research on material cultures, territorial studies, and project-based practices. They are grounded in the hypothesis that such cross-readings may reveal insights and leverage points capable of influencing - or even redirecting - the trajectories of contemporary territories in light of the challenges they face.

 

Monday March, 23 | Opening of the Symposium

📍Institut Français de Maurice, Rose-Hill

16.00 / Welcome and Conference introduction

16.30 / Opening reflections - Scientific Committee

Multi-voiced conversations about Architecture and Research in Mauritius

Presentation of “Learning/speculating from Mauritius . An Observatory of Architecture and Territories” from ensa Nantes [Mauritius]

18.30 / Keynote speech by Sename Koffi Agbodjinou, architect and anthropologist, founder of the platform l’Africaine d’architecture. Introduction by Rossila Goussanou

 

Tuesday, March 24 | The island condition as hypercontext

Morning / Exploring the territory: 📍The West coast

Panel discussions (13.00 - 19.30)

📍ensa Nantes [Mauritius] Campus, Pierrefonds - or another site to be confirmed

Session 1 - Living with risk

Moderated by Bruno Barroca

• Agnès Baltzer, geographer, Nantes Université
• Fahad Idaroussi Tsimanda, geographer, LAGAM - to be confirmed
• Vassen Kauppaymuthoo, oceanographer and environmental engineer, Oceanyka (ONG environnement) — to be confirmed
• Henna Helvina Neerunjun, lecturer and researcher, School of Mauritian and Area studies, Mahatma Gandhi Institute — to be confirmed
• Adish Maudho, geographer, United Nations Population Fund East and Southern Africa

Session 2 - Insularities: Persistence, Resistance and Resilience

Moderated by Amélie Nicolas

• Valeria Guzman Verri, architect, Universidad de Costa Rica
• Caroline Déodat, anthropologist, artist, filmmaker and researcher, EHESS
• Emmanuelle Chérel, contemporary art historian, Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Nantes  - online
• Mati Jhurry, artist, RESORT Collective
• Stefan Gua, cultural activist   
• Shenaz Patel, writer and journalist 

Session 3 - Towards an Observatory on the ‘Insular Condition’?  

Moderated by Chérif Hanna

• Marc Robin, geographer, Nantes Université
• Charlotte Hainzlef, architect and geographer, Université Paris Saclay (visio) 
• Henri Agathe, economist, deputy of Rodrigues Regional Assembly
• Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change  - to be confirmed

Wednesday, March 25

The architectures and modes of production of globalised urban areas re-examined by the ordinary fabric of cities and territories

Morning / Exploring the territory: Field visit (urban walk) from Medine smart city to Bambous

Panel discussions (14.00 - 17.30)

📍Institut Français de Maurice, Rose-Hill

Session 1 - The Production of Globalized Urban Space and Territorial Dynamics

Moderated by Elsa-Xuân Lainé

• Thomas  Pfirsch, geographer, Université Polytechnique Hauts de France
• Yannick Bosquet-Ballah, sociolinguist, University of Mauritius 
• Shane Ah-Siong, architect, New York Institute of Technology  

Session 2 - Exploring and Experiencing Ordinary Cities

Moderated byJulie Gangneux-Kebe

• Catherine  Fournet-Guérin, geographer, Sorbonne Université 
• Marine Grondin, urbanist, AGORAH 
• Tanika  Join, urbanist, ENSA La Réunion 
• NOU Collective, alumni ensa Nantes [Mauritius] and ensa Nantes

Synthesis and Open Discussion

Moderated by Zaheer Allam,urbanist, Queensland University

18.00 - 20.00 / Documentary Film Screening

📍(TBC)

With David Constantin, producer, director, and screenwriter, ensa Nantes [Mauritius]

Showcase of Short Works « Portraits de villes » from ensa Nantes [Mauritius] students

Discussion: Chérif Hanna and David Constantin

Screening of the movie « Red Earth » by David Constantin

 

Thursday, March 26 | Rethinking architectural and urban design practices through the lens of critical habitability and spatial equity

📍Intercontinental Slavery Museum (ISM), Port Louis

Friday, March 27 | Learning from the South. Towards the production and transmission of situated and critical knowledge

📍ensa Nantes [Mauritius] Campus, Pierrefonds – and/or another site to be confirmed

Review and Perspectives - Scientific Committee

Conclusion of the Symposium / Event - Scientific Committee