HERITAGE CITIES AND OBLIVION

The 6th issue of The Journal of Architectural Design and History explores the theme of oblivion in architecture, moving away from the conventional view that pits it strictly against memory as a negative force to be opposed. While traditional oblivion recalls destruction, political censorship, or neglect—giving rise to minor, overlooked architects—it is proposed a fresh perspective inspired by Borges's story of Ireneo Funes. Funes, unable to forget, is trapped by a total memory that becomes a curse. Through this metaphor, oblivion is not a tragic loss, but a necessary, selective condition. It acts as an empty space that allows us to process the past, choosing what to keep and what to leave in the background. In architecture, forgetting is an opportunity to build new contemporary relations from obscured foundations.