Monday April 21, 2026
María Novas Ferradás, senior lecturer + researcher, Chair of the History and Theory of Urban Design at ETH Zürich
Stratigakos Fellow Lecture
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm • Crosby Hall - Room 116
Left: The house in Ulvenhout designed by Guus Schreuder-Gratama, in construction. Right: The house in Ulvenhout designed by Guus Schreuder-Gratama. Photo: María Novas Ferradás. Collection Nieuwe Instituut.
María Novas Ferradás is an architect and researcher specialized in exploring the intersections of social and political history and cultural studies with the built environment. She was selected as a Stratigakos Fellow for 2025–2026 at the University at Buffalo. She works as senior lecturer and scientific researcher at the Chair of History and Theory of Urban Design and as Academic Editor of the gta papers at the Institute for the History and Theory of Architecture (gta) at ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
Hidden Histories. Hearing Silences.
This lecture delves into the often-overlooked narratives, omissions, and gaps in architectural history and theory, critically examining how architectural knowledge is produced. The discussion interrogates the complexities of historical representation, highlights the consequences of neglected histories within the built environment, and explores the potential of ficto-critical approaches to rethink and reshape architectural histories.
The architectural plans for the house in Ulvenhout designed by the non-graduated architect Guus Schreuder-Gratama, preserved in the Breda municipal archive (Stadsarchief Breda), under the signature of the local engineer Jacob de Wilde. Photo: María Novas Ferradás.
Image of María Novas Ferradás.
Novas graduated in Architecture from the Universidade da Coruña in Galicia, Spain, and holds additional master’s degrees in applied research in gender studies (UJI) and Urban Regeneration (USC). Her PhD in Architecture from the Universidad de Sevilla analyzes the contribution of two women’s organizations and some of the first women architecture graduates in the Netherlands to postwar housing design. With teaching experience at TU Delft and a track record of being invited as a lecturer at international universities and organizations, Novas has published and edited articles and books that delve into how feminist movements have shaped architecture and urban design. Her book "Arquitectura y género: una introducción posible" (Melusina, 2021) received recognition at the 16th Spanish Architecture and Urbanism Biennial in the Research and Dissemination category.
The School of Architecture and Planning is an AIA CES Approved Provider. This course is AIA CES Registered and approved for 1.5 Learning Unit (LU).