On 29 September 2026, the exhibition of the project “A Janela Ainda Existe”, curated by Marta Blanchietti, opened at the Casa da Escrita in Coimbra. Realized by the photographer Matteo Losurdo, the photographic research focuses on the reality of the Repúblicas de Coimbra, self-managed student houses that have been in existence since the 14th century. This model of communal living, now increasingly under threat from rising housing costs and property development pressures, represents a social and cultural heritage of immense importance. The Repúblicas are, therefore, examples of civic resistance to the economic and social processes unfolding at a macro level, deeply rooted
in Portugal’s history, but they also represent housing models applicable in other countries. The photographer decided to undertake this project in a country with which he has had ties since 2013 and which, in recent years, he has been rediscovering through the history and present-day life of these houses and the people who live in them.
The project aims to rise a reflection on a range of themes: the right to housing; the gentrification of historic centres and the impact of these dynamics on people’s lives, particularly those of students; community life as an alternative model to the individualistic tendencies of contemporary society; and the role of the Repúblicas during the 1969 Academic Crisis and the 1974 Carnation Revolution. In this regard, the photographic research seeks to explore interpretations of this reality – basically unique in the world – of the Repúblicas of Coimbra, and proposes a reflection on the importance of understanding and preserving these houses, which, though old, remain extremely vibrant and resilient.
The project was carried out with the support of a grant from the Italian Ministry of Culture, ‘Strategia Fotografia 2025’, and involved field research combining photography and historical investigation: by bringing together photographs taken today in the houses and archive photographs of the houses and the Academic Museum of Coimbra, alongside texts and quotations, a participatory and horizontal project was carried out in collaboration with the residents of the Repúblicas.
The exhibition will be visitable until the 30th of October, following the opening hours of Casa da Escrita.
