2024-12-22T10:09:20-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/78217344/work-towards-fairness-restoring-the-casa-do-passal-in-honor-of-its-humanitarian-owner Justine Testado 2013-07-29T16:40:00-04:00 >2013-08-05T22:45:11-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/4v/4vx8h9x5xpwwp40i.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p> The opening of Work Towards Fairness by architect Eric Moed signifies the first step towards the restoration of Casa do Passal in central Portugal. The Casa do Passal was formerly inhabited by Aristides de Sousa Mendes, a Portuguese diplomat who helped around 30,000 people escape into neutral Portugal against governmental orders during WWII during the fascist dictatorship of Antonio Salazar. Moed's great-grandfather and grandfather, who are both architects, were among those saved. Aristides' job and home were confiscated by Salazar, and Aristides died impoverished. His heroic actions went unnoticed and his home remained in ruins at Cabana de Viriano.<br><br> Moed dedicated his thesis at Pratt Institute to restoring the Casa do Passal when he discovered his family's story. He wanted to honor Aristides through architecture, the skill that the diplomat enabled 3 generations of his family to practice personally and professionally.<br><br><br><img alt="" src="http://cdn.archinect.net/images/514x/g3/g3ewf8uwh1objy0k.jpg" title=""></p> <p> <br> After winning 5,000 Euros in a competition from the UNHAT...</p>