Simplifying the Past: Willemstad's Historic and Historicizing Architecture

Willemstad, Curaçao's UNESCO-listed historic area, faces a growing erosion of its multicultural architectural heritage due to modern developments that prioritize Dutch contributions over its diverse past. The study reveals how the city's unique blend of Dutch-gabled townhouses, classicizing villas, and Curaçaoan aesthetics—rooted in its mixed population of Dutch settlers, Iberian Jews, and enslaved Africans—has been selectively preserved, often overshadowing its global influences. By analyzing architectural trends from the 20th and 21st centuries, the research highlights how the townhouse form, once emblematic of this multiculturalism, is increasingly framed as solely Dutch vernacular architecture. The findings challenge the narrative simplification that undermines Willemstad's rich, layered history.

Kehoe, M. L. (2025). Simplifying the Past: Willemstad’s Historic and Historicizing Architecture. Trade, Globalization, and Dutch Art and Architecture, 165–206. https://doi.org/10.5117/9789463723633_ch05