Léa-Catherine Szacka

Léa-Catherine Szacka is an Associate Professor in Architectural History and Theory at the Institute of Form, Theory and History, Oslo School of Architecture and Design. She holds a PhD from the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, with a thesis on the 1980 Venice Architecture Biennale’s role in postmodern discourse. Her research focuses on postmodern architecture, the history of architectural exhibitions, and ephemeral urban structures, interrogating their political and cultural implications.

Education:

• PhD in History and Theory of Architecture, Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (thesis: Exhibiting the Postmodern: Three Narratives for a History of the 1980 Venice Architecture Biennale)

Research Interests:

She explores postmodernism’s evolution, the curation of architectural exhibitions, and the interplay between temporary structures and urban narratives. Her work bridges architectural theory with cultural history, analyzing how exhibitions shape architectural discourse and public perception.

Key Contributions:

• Co-edited the seminal The Post-Modern Reader (2011) with Charles Jencks and others.
• Authored Exhibiting the Postmodern: Three Narratives for a History of the 1980 Venice Architecture Biennale (2015).
• Organized symposia at the Centre Georges Pompidou and contributed to major exhibitions like Monditalia at the Venice Biennale (2014).

Current Work:

Investigates the history of ephemeral architectures (19th–20th centuries), examining their relation to urban exhibitions, fiction, spectacle, and political ideologies.