Light, Cities + Architecture.
The Architecture of the Inca: Machu Picchu and a Civilisation Built to Last
High in the Andes of Peru, 2,400 metres above sea level, Machu Picchu stands as one of the world’s great architectural achievements. But the extraordinary stonework, terraces and temples of Machu Picchu are just part of a much biggerstory. In this special episode of Light, Cities & Architecture , AntonyDiMase and writer and editor Justine Costigan explore the architecture, culture and legacy of the Incan Empire. Recently returned from Peru, Justine shares her experiences visiting Machu Picchu, Cusco and other significant Incan sites,offering a firsthand perspective on a civilisation that built an enormous and sophisticated empire in little more than a century. How did the Incas construct precisely fitted stone buildings without mortar, iron or modern machinery? How did they govern an empire without a written alphabet or currency? And what can their agricultural systems, infrastructureand approach to building in one of the world’s most challenging landscapes tell us about architecture today? The conversation also explores the relationship between architecture and nature, from buildings aligned with the sun, moon and stars to agricultural terraces engineered to manage water and erosion. We consider why Incan buildings have survived centuries of earthquakes while many Spanish colonial structures have not—and what this reveals about architecture that is genuinely rooted in place. The episode also looks beyond the romance of Machu Picchu. Antony and Justine discuss the violence of Spanish conquest, the destruction of Indigenous architecture and culture, and the misleading story of Machu Picchu as a “lost city” supposedly discovered by the West. They explore how Incan traditions survived through cultural and religious syncretism, and how Indigenous influences continue to shape Peruvian culture today. Finally, the conversation turns to modern Peru: its extraordinary natural resources, food culture, agricultural knowledge, relationship with tourism and the enduring pride Peruvians have in their heritage. This is a story about stone, landscape and extraordinary ingenuity—but also about whose history gets told, what survives conquest, and what architecture can teach us about culture, resilience and our relationship with place. Special thanks to: Suzanne McLeod at Image on Line in Collingwood where we recorded our podcast. And to Veronica Perez for podcast editing.
