Arquitetura sem truques: Bairro de Santa Maria e Bairro da Prageira, as HE em Peniche, por Vítor Figueiredo

Abstract

The present study focuses on the architectural production of social housing in Portugal, on the framework of Casas de Renda Económica and Casas dos Pescadores, programmes included on the state organism of «Habitações Económicas» - Federação de Caixas de Previdência [HE], in the mid 20th century, having as its base project the residential area of low income economic houses of Santa Maria and the residential area of Pescadores da Prageira, in Peniche, and built at the starts of the 70s, both projected by Vítor Figueiredo. The historical framework of this organism, the motivations for its foundations and its development in Portugal, along with the historic and sociographic study of Peniche at the time of building the housing complex, are vital for a better understanding of the study objects. On the other hand, it is relevant and required, to fully understand the architectural answer of Vítor Figueiredo in both residential areas, to get to know, in a deeper sense, his vision, interpretation and reasoning principles in the production of architecture of social nature. The reason for choosing these objects in this research is the opportunity of studying two projects in the same city, for the same organism and by the same architect but for different realities. The way as the construction works were handled by the residents, as well as the study, analysis and documental interpretation of these housing complexes projects, is the actual aim of this research. With the analysis of the social characterization of each residential area, it is intended to understand the social impact in the building of the complexes and its architectural solutions.