Algeria was colonised by France from 1830 to 1962. During this time, housing policies were used to control the territory and maintain the French domination over the “indigenous” populations. Algiers more specifically became an architectural and urbanism laboratory. In the 1950s, on the eve of the independence war, the French architect Fernand Pouillon built 3 housing estates in Algiers. These estates are fundamentally and physically rooted in the Algerian history, its colonisation and its current days. But today, the legacy of these constructions is fading away in front of the post-colonial reality of the country. The three housing projects are lacking regular maintenance leading to the deterioration and the alteration of the materials.

By getting involved locally with the communities of the 3 housing estates, I aim to produce a visual work, along with a written essay, that will metaphorically question the building of our Algerian identity and raise awareness on the importance of conserving these constructions as our heritage. For this, I will use several visual techniques that will (de)/(re)construct images, produce videos with local residents and organise participatory activities to create an impactful and accessible work.