A Quinta do Mosteiro - A recriação do sonho

Abstract

There is no clear definition for the gated community concept as it may acquire different layouts and it is a concept that has been altered over time. It is seen as a lucrative business, from the real estate point of view, although it is perceived as a form of social and space segregation. The word "gated" literally means, in most cases, a piece of land surrounded by walls and gates, which makes it closed and disconnected with its exterior environment. This dissertation explores the urbanistic and social effects of this kind of real estate development, mainly the physical and metaphoric disintegration with the city the gated communities are located in, the use of physical impenetrable barriers and the strength of the security argument associated with gated communities. Having these premises in mind, it is created a rehabilitation proposal of a private territory (Quinta do Mosteiro, located in Vila Nova de Gaia, north of Portugal) which suffered an intervention, years ago, aiming to create a gated community. The project was suspended and nothing has been done ever since, to pursue it. This proposal aims to study the use of certain construction solutions and the space organization, to integrate a gated community in its surrounding environment, with no need for physical barriers, keeping (or even increasing) security and privacy for the gated community members. The role of an architect in a project like this acquires a strong social component, about which this dissertation aims to start a brainstorm for further analysis.