Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): La memoria del proyecto explica el proyecto. - The project statement explains the project.

Although memoria can mean memory in many contexts, in Spain it very often means a written report, project write-up, or technical document when talking about academic, administrative, or professional work.

So in La memoria del proyecto, memoria is likely the document that describes or justifies the project, not someone’s mental memory.

Why is it del proyecto and not de el proyecto?

Because de + el = del.

This contraction is mandatory in normal Spanish:

de el proyecto → incorrect here
del proyecto → correct

A very common exception is when El is part of a proper name, such as:

de El Escorial
de El Greco

But proyecto is not a proper name, so you must use del.

What does del proyecto do in the sentence?